


The Burning Witch

by blondiepepper



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:21:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 41
Words: 80,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22147090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blondiepepper/pseuds/blondiepepper
Summary: Hestia de Aretuza, also known as the Fire Witch, used to be a mage, like all the others. Abandoned in Aretuza, tales tell that she was covered in fire, unharmed, untouched, with red bright eyes like a beast.It didn't take long for the others to notice there was something special about the girl, when some saw it as danger, Tissaia de Vries saw as a blessing and soon taught the young Hestia how to control her powers. But her powers were never seen before, so bright, so intense, so letal and uncontrollable. As she was about to ascend, Hestia was locked away by a group of sorceress and stayed there, until the day she escaped.Tales of her were told all over the Continent for over a decade, being called The Fire Goddess, though no one seemed to get a grip on her, a sorcerer decided to hire a famous Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, to hunt and kill the so called burning witch, because truth be told, no one knew what she was.And in a quest to understand what the famous Fire Goddess was, a monster, a woman or a witch, Geralt goes off in one more adventure.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Original Female Character(s), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg/Original Character(s)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 145





	1. Red & White

  
_"Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling... Makes no difference. The degree is arbitary. The definition's blurred. If I'm to choose between one evil and another... I'd rather not choose at all."_

Hestia de Aretuza, also known as the Fire Witch, Burning Witch or most likely The Fire Goddess, used to be a mage, raised by Tissaia de Vries, a mentor at Aretuza, like a mother, she took Hestia under her wing.  
  


Hestia was found abandoned by the sea, close to Aretuza, tales tell that she was covered in fire, even being under the rain, unharmed, untouched, with red bright eyes like a beast, veins that ran lava instead of blood, some told she was kissed by the sun, others cursed the infant, saying she was the daughter of a demon and a human.

It didn't take long for the others to notice there was something special about the girl, when some saw it as danger, Tissaia de Vries saw as a blessing, a form of uncorrupted, undiscovered, unpolished power. Soon she taught the young Hestia how to control her powers, even though the entire board was willing to trow the child in a grave, nameless, hopeless, defeated. It was decided that she could stay, with one condition, that her powers were controlled and no incidents reported, one mistake and she was out.  
  


But her powers were never seen before, so bright, so intense, so letal and uncontrollable. Each day gone buy gave Hestia more strength that she could ever deal. 

Such power and strength draw a young mage, thirsty for ascendancy, closer to the lonely "beast", Yennefer of Vengerberg fell in love with the young, impatient, red headed girl, creating an undeniable bound of true friendship, a family with no blood, a forbitten love.

As both Yennefer and Hestia were about to ascend, the red headed fire girl was locked away by a group of sorceress, enduring torture and being nothing but a body for others to study her genes, but no one knew it, besides the small group of sorceress. She stayed there, lingering on the thought of revenge, waiting for the day she would escape her captivity, and most important, her endless suffering, until the day Hestia finally escaped, leaving a trail of blood and rotten guts, among with decapitated, emasculated bodies. 

Tales of her were told all over the Continent for over a decade, being called The Burning Witch, though no one seemed to get a grip on her, a sorcerer decided to hire a famous Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, to hunt and kill the so called burning witch, because truth be told, no one knew what she was. The sorcerer wasn't the only one wanting to find her though, a king and a prince were also willing to pay as much as needed to find her.  
  


Geralt was left with questions and decisions and through out his journey the White Wolf will discover that when Red meets White, roses grow, among with an burning passion, a love that can't be tamed. Because The Fire Goddess is nothing he could ever imagine. 

_Taissa Farmiga_ as **young Hestia**

_"Ash to ash, dust to dust, fade to black, I can burn, I can burn you, I can lit an entire city on fire, but what no one knows is the pain inside of me and I don't nag only about the loneliness I feel from being reject by everyone, including my parents, I mean physical, undeniable pain of having fire breathing inside of you. It hurts to be a dragon trapped in a human body. Tamed or not, it hurts"_

_Deborah Ann Woll_ as **older Hestia**

_"Everyone thinks I'm evil, but no beast can feel love the way I feel, no beast cares for another, no demon creates bonds and cares for family, though my eyes are bright red, I bleed like you bleed, I feel like you feel, I hurt like you hurt, my heart beats, it aches, it races and it can stop, I just hope he won't face it's decease for something as trivial as prejudice. But hear me when I say, I won't die without leaving everything to ashes."_

_Henry Cavill_ as **Geralt of Rivia**

"People"—Geralt turned his head—"like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live."   
(Quote from the book)

_Anya Chalotra_ as **Yennefer of Vengerberg**

_"I have fallen in love before, Geralt, and I do care for you, but love is not the word, you will know some day, you will feel it, deep in your guts, you can care without being in love, you can want someone close without wanting to fuck them and you can definitely use someone to fill a void inside of you. I have two voids that in the end, are just one, family, I can't have a baby, but I do have Hestia, or had, it doesn't matter. And yes, I do love her, indeed, but more than wanting her for myself, as a lover, I want her happy, I want her safe, so if you touch a strand of her hair, if you hurt one inch of her skin, of my family, of Hestia, I will kill you without thinking twice."_

_MyAnna Buring_ as **Tissaia de Vries**

_"you may not be blood of my blood, but you are my daughter. Learn how to control your chaos, you may never unleash it, control is everything, is what keeps you alive, my fire girl"_

_Lily Rabe_ as **Fiona Astenburg**

_"Revenge is not the answer. Rage is not the feeling that lingers in your heart, if you keep going like this, you'll turn not only your enemies into ash, but whoever's in the way"_

_Phoebe Tonkin_ as **Serena, The Clairvoyant**

_"I had a dream once, and twice, about a young girl with bright red eyes and red hair, she walked into the flames, untouchable, she looked harmed but also incredibly mad and when you brought that burning baby into Aretuza, I knew who I was dreaming of for the last decade"_

_Nikolaj Coster Waldau_ as Harry **, the Prince of Cintra**

" _I can still smell her, you know, like burning rosemary. I'll pay you double, fuck it, I'll pay the triple, if you bring_ _her_ _alive, among with land, anything you want, I just need to see her again. She's mine, she...just...doesn't know yet"_

**Thomas of Nilfgard**

" _Bring the bitchy witch dead and I'll pay you more than you can dream of. Kill the beast who murdered my family. KILL IT!"_

**NOTES**

_A_ _nd The Witcher Cast_

_more characters to be added through the story_

_warning: graphic violence, sex, triggers such as torture, this is a 18+ story._

_This book is pure fiction from my head based on the witcher games and netflix show. I do only own the plot and my character, the rest is from those sources I mentioned._

_I am not a native english speaker, so whenever you see some grammar mistake, that's probably it, though I try my best, mistakes happen!_

_I'll try to update at least once a week!_


	2. SongBook

The Witcher 3 Soundtrack

The Passanger - Iggy Pop

Once Upon a Dream - Lana del Rey

Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation

Full Moon - The Black Ghosts

13 Beaches - Lana del Rey

Norman Fucking Rockwell - Lana del Rey

Possibility - Lykke Li

Turning Page - Sleeping At Least

Requiem On Water - Imperial Mammoth

Mt Washington - Local Natives


	3. Beast

_**"One, two, three, the mage crossed the sea,**_ four, five, six she jumped over the cliff" a young girl with copper hair, reddish cheeks, snow skin and deep red eyes sang, jumping up and down, her hair dancing all around, the cool ocean breeze filling her lungs, the sun kissing her skin. She had a big smile crossing her face, showing off her beautiful teeth, very aligned upper teeth and a bit crooked down teeth. She had just finished changing her baby teeth and was enjoying not having the pain of them growing "seven, eight, nine, she crossed the line" she kept singing, with her tender voice.

The redhead kept running, barefoot, feet full of dirt and little cuts healed, making small scars. She liked running around, climbing trees and mostly playing with fire, crawling over the blaze, playing with the flames on her hands. It was incredibly hard and complicated to create fire out of nothing, but whenever she was close to heat, to any sort of fire, it was as easy and trivial as breathing.

Hestia made a turn to the left, almost falling after slipping on a small puddle of water, that only turned the dirt on her feet into mud. She laughed, always brave, never afraid of getting hurt.

Hestia was about to enter her room, running at full speed, when she felt immense pain on her face, something was thrown on her head, hitting her hard on the eyebrow.

The young girl fell, knees to the rock, cold, ground, hands on her face, feeling the pain on the contact skin to cut, blood to fingers, hair strand to uneven nails.

" ** _BEAST_** " the first voice, a female one, hit her like an arrow, straight to the head. Painful, hurtful, numbing. Hestia felt a tingling on the tip of her fingers, knowing something was wrong. Her fingers slipped to her scalp, as she grabbed her hair tighter, stronger, more aggressive.  
  
" ** _MONSTER_** " another voice, now male, along with another rock, now hitting her left hand.

Both of them laughed, as Hestia crawled back, just like a turtle, trying to hide in her shell, as if that was possible or helpful in anyway.

It started with the tingling on the tip of the fingers, crawling inside of her, consuming her heartbeat, traveling through her veins, heating her skin. She shut her eyes tight, her lungs bagging for cool air, her skin burning, her sight blurring into a whiteness that could be compared as looking directly into the sun. The voices started to muffle, mingling with the background, the sound of the ocean, the swearing, the high pitched voice, the disgraceful laugh, the sound of a pan heating, the sound of wood burning. Next the body went numb, the feeling of breathing was gone. She felt _gone_.

"Go to your bedrooms _now_ " a soothing but firm voice commanded, still mingled with the sound of the ocean, but the other voices were finally gone "hestia, stand up, right now" the voice focused on her.

The kid looked up, scared of what the woman would say. Hestia's hands were shaking and so was her entire body. Her dark green vests were dirty with mud and wet blood.

"Go clean yourself and I'll fix your cut" Tissaia commanded, opening the bedroom door.

Hestia ran inside, shutting the door behind her. Tears streamed down non stop and a will to throw up mingled with her guts. She looked in the mirror, her reflection shifted from a sweet pale redheaded girl to a dirty bloody kid.  
The young girl took her clothes off, leaving them on the floor, besides her bed. She grabbed a wet cloth and did her best to bathe herself. The dirt was almost all gone, only missing some Spots on her back and ribs. Hestia quickly changed herself, putting on a clean dress.

She opened the door quickly, facing her motherly figure, with a serious expression, not showing any feelings beside annoyance.

Tissaia took her by the hand, racing to her chambers.

"Sit" she pointed at a dark wooden chair, the kid obeyed.

Tissaia walked back with a cloth, pressing it against the girl's head.

"Ouch!" She screamed, feeling her head sting, with an expression of a kid picking close to a tantrum.

"Don't even start" Tissaia took a deep breath and put the cloth on a table next to hestia. She raised her hand, touching the cut very softly and started whispering words in Elder.

When finished, Hestia ran to the closest mirror, taking a good look at her healed cut. She took a while to realize what happened, prejudice was still something the girl couldn't understand.

She didn't feel like a monster, neither thought she looked like one, she had two legs, two arms, two ears, one mouth and two eyes, red ones, but still, she looked like everyone else, or so she thought.

"Why do they hate me?" Hestia questioned, almost whispering to herself.

"All hate is based on fear, my dear" Tissaia walked closer to the girl, touching her shoulder delicately.

"So why do they fear me? Is it because of my eyes? I can change them when I become a mage, I can look just like them" then widened her eyes, staring closer into them.

"Because you're gifted, Hestia" she gently stroked Hestia's hair "they envy your powers and also fear them" Tissaia turned the kid gently, to face her "dont ever change what makes you unique just because people can't handle it, you're stronger, you're _powerful_ , Hestia, you will be the most powerful mage of it all and people will get jealous, they will try to bring you down, but you won't let me, you know why?".

"Why..." she said, all shy, looking at her feet.

"Because you're Hestia de Aretuza, _my_ fire girl" she gently guided her chin up "head always...".

"High, I know" Hestia interrupted "to the sky, so one day I can reach the stars".

"Now go get ready, you have to study and practice, so you can overcome you weaknesses".

"And control the chaos in me" Hestia took a deep breath "I love you, Tiss".  
Tissaia gave a soft smile and a kiss on the girl's head, then stood up and sighted, turning her back to the girl.  
"Control your feelings, Hestia, control your chaos".

That voice lingered in Hestia's mind for years, almost becoming a mantra to her.

And so she walked out, ready to get in control.

To _tame_ it.

_"Control your feelings,_ _Hestia_ _, control your chaos"._


	4. Wet Earth

_**The smell**_ _**of wet earth**_ entered through the bedroom window, with the cold breeze coming from the turbulent sea. It had finally stopped raining after five days of incessant storm. Tedious days for the fire witch who could not stand being locked in her room, feeling the drops of a leak on the ceiling fall on the tip of her big toe, always as accurate as if it aimed at the girl's foot whenever she fell asleep. Many did not understand why Hestia liked water _so much,_ her primary power being opposite to anything wet, only the girl understood how she liked to feel her body wet, her mouth no longer thirsty, her hair drawing paths on her back of branches, streams of water, the calm and the end of her anxiety when diving into the sea. She was passionate about the smell of the sea, the sensation of the sand between her fingers, the cold of the waves crashing against her body.

Yennefer always justified Hestia's charm for the sea by being found by the sea, she said it was a unique connection, that she shouldn't think too much about it, only _feel_ it. But Hestia's mind never stopped, she lived trapped in a tidal wave of unanswered questions, dead-ends that tumbled her mind daily. It was only when she was meditating or between Yen's arms that the redhead finally calmed down and breathed again.

"What are you thinking, Hei?" Yennefer questioned, stroking lightly the apple of Hestia's face. The redhead turned her face, staring into the brunette's beautiful lilac eyes, she then smiled, conveying confidence to Yen, then gently sealing their lips before she felt Yen stroking her breasts. Yen closed her eyes, resting the side of her face on Hestia's bosom, her legs intertwined, and a hand above the redhead's pale waist.

Hestia embraced Yen, wrapping her in her arms, the two naked, lying on the bed of the brunette, who lived in the room next door to the fire witch. She caressed her thick and voluminous hair, gently passing her hand on Yen's deformed back, always subtle, always affectionate.

"Won't you tell me?" Yen questioned once again, now looking up, staring into Hestia's red eyes.

"I was thinking I wanted to swim, that's all," she commented, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "wouldn't you rather just close your eyes and rest? Tissaia will kill us tomorrow."

"But you can't swim well, Hei" Yen laughed, hugging the redhead harder "don't even talk to me about it, sometimes I can't tell if Tissaia wants to kill us or teach us".

"I share this doubt" Hestia kissed the top of Yen's head, she stood up, letting her show even more her beautiful curves, perfect back and well-defined muscles, breasts with pink nipples and snow-white skin. Her red hair hit her waist, wavy and turbulent like the waves of the sea, but in a shade of copper red, almost shimmering, a different tone from her eyes, deep scary red. Her skin was delicate, soft, like the most expensive sheets a queen could have, her white skin was marked by several reddish spots, of which Hestia was ashamed, it seemed that each time her powers became stronger or when she used them more powerfully, the spots got worse and spread all over the place.

Yennefer was sure the only thing Hestia would change in her body would be her spots or maybe her eyes, but she found her perfect and envied her, both for her beauty and her power. Still she couldn't deny it, she loved her with all her body and soul, and it hurt to know that they would soon part.

"Where are you going?" Yen questioned, sitting on the bed, crossed legs covering her sex and naked breasts, not carrying about how exposed they were.

"So many questions Yen " Hestia smiled, starting to put on her clothes. "I need to take a walk, to free my mind for a bit, besides, we are dead if we are found together and naked at this time" she laughed.

Hestia rushed the step and supported both hands on the bed, next to each of Yen's legs, her dress was at the half of her waist and her breasts hung over the brunette's body.

"I love you," she said in a loving tone, rubbing her nose lightly on Yen's, then kissed her on the tip of her lips and put on her clothes again, carrying a pair of green boots.

"I love you t..." She couldn't finish her sentence because as quickly as she'd gotten ready, Hestia left the room, slamming the door behind her.   
  


*** 

**"** ** _YOU LYING BITCH"_** Yen awoke to the cries of Hestia, cries of pain and heartbreak, her eyes looked like two flames about to explode, her hands were hot as firewood, leaving her veins in a tone of deep orange and sparkling. 

Hestia cried compulsively, her face swollen and reddish, her hair messy and her veins stood out, red. Yen was about to understand Hestia's fury, consumed by jealousy and hurt, drowned in perverse thoughts that consumed her sanity. She would never have the courage to hurt her, Yen was her family, but her desire at that moment was to melt the brunette's face with her own two hands. 

"Hei? What the fuck are you talking about?" Yen sat up quickly, stretching her arms towards Hestia, but only made it worse, as now her hair seemed to be on fire, floating around her.

"Are you fucking Istredd? Fucking Istredd?" with every sentence that Hestia uttered, her anger increased, as did the hole in her chest, piercing through her veins, burning any trace of affection that sheltered her heart "Am I not enough? You told me I was the only one, that there was only you and me, HOW COULD YOU!" The floor began to heat up, like hot stones that chalked for years under the burning sun, the air began to get heavy, dry, thick, as if all the moisture gradually disappeared, the walls seemed to exhale heat and Hestia's hands had become completely burning red "HOW COULD YOU YEN? HOW COULD YOU? I TRUSTED YOU, I PUT MY SAFETY, MY LIFE IN DANGER TO BE WITH YOU, I GAVE YOU MY HEART AND SOUL AND YOU BETRAY ME? AND WORSE, YOU TOLD HIM ALL MY SECRETS, ABOUT MY MARKS, MY PAIN; MY POWERS AND WEAKNESSES, DID YOU ALSO TELL HIM THE TASTE OF MY CUNT?".

The pain of betrayal had been the spark, the fuse of a cluster of situations that gradually increased the weight on Hestia's chest, turning it into a clock bomb about to explode, when the shit became so suffocating that it left her no option but to become a ball of fire, ready to turn everything to ashes. 

Yen felt like throwing up, not only because of the sensation of being in an absurdly hot sauna, but because of the fact that she had hurt the person she loved the most, she wanted to explain to her that Istredd made her feel beautiful and wanted, that he had been the first to help her, that he was an attraction, and she, like a mother's lap, she wanted to lie, saying that her feelings towards him were not real, but she could say that she loved her and as for him, she only liked, a lot, but he didn't got close to the love she had for her. She cried incessantly, feeling her skin wet with sticky sweat, her hands on his face as she shouted how much she loved her, her violet eyes hidden by her eyelids, because she could not look into Hestia's eyes.

The door suddenly opened, Tissaia screamed for Hestia to calm down, but the girl seemed deaf and blind, her eyes open, but her vision became glowing and blurred, the sound muffled and was impossible to interpret even a couple of words, It was as if she had been possessed, by pain, by darkness, by evil, she did not feel as if she were herself, her body and her mind seemed to duel in an endless duality, until she collapsed, into a deafening cry that spread flames throughout the room. 

The heat was unbearable. Tissaia and Yen left unharmed, thanks to a sort of dome, a impenetrable wall, that had protected them, created by Hestia herself.

The redhead fell to the ground, completely exhausted, unable to reason, feel, listen, move. Her body was inert on the ground, like that of a deceased person, her eyes half open, breathing slowly through her mouth. In her neck a big red spot appeared all the way to her elbow. The room had cooled down, everything but the bed and the door where Tissaia entered had become ashes.

Hestia was not unconscious, but she was not far from it. Tissaia carried her out of the room and locked the door. 

Yennefer shouted, asking her to leave, shouting Hestia's name, but nothing but silence and the smell of burning wood.   
  


*** 

The next day Yen woke up with the worse, unbearable head ache, her body braced against the door, dark circles around her eyes still wet from crying. She stood up, punching the door, worried about Hestia's condition and whereabouts.

Before Yen could make a scandal to leave, the door opened. Tissaia inert, staring at the floor. Her eyes moist, she looks tired, but still beautiful and tidy as always.

"Where is Hestia?" Yen said, staring firmly at Tissaia.

Tissaia took a deep breath, her hand resting on her chest, her voice tired and trembling.

"She's gone, Yen. They've taken her away" Tissaia practically whispered.

"What the _fuck_ do you mean?" Yen spoke, feeling her anger grow.

"That was the deal, a mistake, a miserable explosion and goodbye."

"What the fuck does that mean, Tissaia?"

_"That she's gone, Yennefer, and she's never coming back."_   
  



	5. Stink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> quick author's note: I totally forgot to say it before so I'm saying now! The story does not follow the timeline and events of the series, the books or the videogames! For example Yen and Geralt already know each other, he had also had some relationships with other mages etc etc, but you will find out more throughout the story! Hope you guys are enjoying the story! <3

**_°°°_ **

**_°°°_ **

**_"you smell like shit"_** Yen complained, laughing at the depressing expression on Geralt's face, his body was fully covered in a mix of mud, blood and stinky monster guts. He rattled his boots, spreading all that goo mess all around, on the floor, on the walls and on the side of the fireplace. The man of pure white hair finally took his shoes off, throwing them by the door, soon the rest of his clothing was also on the floor, leaving him fully naked. 

Geralt walked tired and discouraged, until reaching the bathroom. With his hands the man took part of the goo out of his body and into the floor. 

"Won't you even show you're happy to see me? Just a little bit? It's been a long trip" Yen said, still lying in bed, waiting for Geralt. The brunette rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, she was tired and her back was killing her, she wanted attention but wouldn't have it so soon, given Geralt's condition. 

The water felt nice on his skin. it's heat helped with the pain, to soften the dry blood and mood to unleash from his skin and finally melt into the water. He dived, being completely submerged, enjoying the feeling of his body hair drifting in the water. The silence was also something he truly was grateful, since Geralt was starting to develop a tinnitus from all the screaming monsters and near death experience, even though the silence made it louder, it also was a sort of "time out" for his ears to heal. His thoughts floated around, it's being such a long time since he felt fear, killings dangerous monsters everyday became something so ordinary to him it had no power over his mind anymore, fear of dying? also non existent. He thought of his mother, being left to become a witcher, a poor child with real fear, real despair, wanting his mother's lap, the safety of her arms, now the closest he had to any of a mother's comfort was Yen's breast. Yet, there was still a big void in his chest, a lack of purpose, a reason to keep living besides the obligation of being alive, of staying alive.

"Geralt!" Yen yelled, holding tight to the borders of the wooden tub. 

Geralt quickly emerged from his underwater asylum, looking as tired as she. The witcher rested his head on the edge of the tub, closing his yellowish eyes, wanting to meditate or something that would give back some of his estamina. Yen yelling wasn't helping at all.

"I hate you" she said, turning her back to him.

"No you don't" he finally pronounced any sound besides sighs of exhaustion "I'm just running out of money, Yen, I'm stressed, but yes, I'm glad to see you, of course".

"You know I can solve that right?" she turned back to stare at him, with a smirk. She licked her lips, walking closer to him.

Yen shoved her hand inside the water, feeling her way to his cock, as soon as she found it, the brunette started to masturbate him, underwater. Geralt closed his eyes, enjoying the pleasure she was giving to him, before he came, making the water even dirtier. Yen gave him a sweet kiss on the lips and withdrew her hands from the water. She dried her arm in a towel and opened a soft smile.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Actually yes" Geralt reply, making his way out of the water and closer to Yen.

"So you did miss something about me, mostly my hand?" she joked as he wrapped his arms around her hips.

"I missed your company" he said close to her ear.

"Now that sounds boring" she laughed, hugging him by the neck "that sounds like I'm friend".

"Aren't we friends?".

"We are friends and ocasional lovers" she answered.

"I care for you"

"and I care for you, but I also know you care for Triss and..." she started listing all his past lovers.

"Stop it" he stepped aside, frustrated by the course that conversation was taking "why do you have to ruin this? and why did you come to see me? Weren't you mad at me for the past six months?".

"Well yes" she pushed him further away "I had business close by and heard someone singing that annoying bard song that your friend made for you, toss a coin to your witcher or something like that, so corny" She rolled her eyes, looking all around for a glass of ale "found out you were close and wanted to check on you" she passed her fingers slowly on the door, stopping it fast as she said "I'm lonely" then Yen kept walking, finally finding a bottle with a little bit of ale left, she drank it all, fast "it's better than nilfgaard's Ale at least".

"My piss is better than nilfgaard's ale" he said full of sarcasm, sitting on his rented bed "what is your business here, Yen? Don't tell me you're still trying to...".

"I'll never give up on trying to have back what was taken from me" Yen felt offended by Geralt's constant way to dismiss her quest of baring a child, but she had no fight left in her for that discussion "but it's not for that, I'm trying to find someone, a... a friend" she put the ale down and for a moment, she put all effort on trying to remember her voice. It had been over a decade since the last time she heard it and her memory was starting to fail even with the big things, like where were her reddish marks and what she smelled like, 'burning rosemary, that's what she smelled like' Yen smiled, from finally remembering something.

"And who is that someone? maybe I can help you" Geralt said, with water dripping from his white hair.

"It's something I gotta do by myself, it's my fault she's no where to be found" the guilt kicked back in, consuming her body and turning every beat into a burden. She looked at Geralt and her heart sank, she wished she felt the same about him, but even being gathered by fate and incredible lust, Yen wouldn't think twice to trade him for Hestia, she wouldn't even hesitate. 

Yen felt like she had a debt to Hestia, and she did, their love affair was the only reason for Hestia to be gone, to have lost her mind and vanish from Aretuza. She missed her to death and spent every second before she falls asleep thinking of what happened to her. It was only when she met Geralt that the thought of her started to drift away, making her memories more weak, to the point of not even thinking of Hestia anymore. Six months ago the blame started to crawl back into her mind, slowly but intensely, the final trigger that drifted her away was when she finally heard of her again, in a tavern, after making love to Geralt, twice.

She was sitting there with Geralt, when a bard started to sing a tale about a gorgeous woman with red eyes and copper hair.

_"with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_devilish red eyes_

_and copper hair_

_you could her the cries_

_of the ones she didn't like_

_with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_a princess, a demon, a woman maybe_

_you run for safety_

_but there she is_

_the mage with a killer instinct_

_some say she lives in dreams_

_others say a nightmare is what she is_

_a demon disguised as a lady_

_with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_devilish red eyes_

_and copper hair_

_you will surely die"_

Since then, Yen went on a quest to find out where the copper haired woman was, she wondered how Hestia looked, after so many years. She had a big fight with Geralt, mostly over the fact that she wanted to go on a journey to get the chance of having her fertility back, but that was only mascaraing what she truly wanted and was going for. Yennefer was afraid of telling the white wolf about Hestia, she believed he'd think she was a monster, not a woman, and witchers **_kill_** monsters. 

So Yennefer went away, only for fate to shove them back together, at that ranted cabin nearby one of the places she hated the most, Velen. She had heard another tale of what she thought was Hestia, saying she melted into a fog close to Velen, but that was over two months ago. She tried following the trail, but was left with frustration and no answers whatsoever. 

Tired and discouraged, she heard that the white wolf was close by and decided to give herself a night of rest near a warm body.

"So it's a she" Geralt reached for her hand, holding it tight, as Yen started to give in "let me help you, you don't even have to tell me why, just let me help, please Yen" he kissed her hand, softly.

"I was hoping we were just going to fuck and sleep, I wasn't expecting you to be so needy or caring this much" she said with her tongue sharp as a blade.

"I said I care for you, Yen, that is more than just sex, though I do love fucking you" she finally turned to face him.

"I have done bad things in the past, Geralt, I carry the weight of my decisions and how it affected the ones I loved, now I have to go and clean my consciousness, or else I'll never live in peace".

"And why can't I help you with that task?" he sighed as she drifted away, one more time, opening a portal right in front of him "don't go, Yen".

"It's _my_ burden to carry, Geralt, I'll see you again, when fate decides to bring us back to each others lives, thanks to your selfish ass" and so she entered the portal, leaving Geralt in his solitary confinement one more time.


	6. Toss a Coin

****

****

****

**°°°**

**_The sun was just starting to appear behind the mountains_** when Geralt was kicked out, once again, from the cabin he rented. The White Wolf had spent all of his money on trying to cure roach after the poor horse got badly injured by an infestation of Drowners and 3 Water Hags, ending up running out of money, being left with roach and 3 breads to survive. Contracts were getting harder to find and the prices were going lower, even though he had become sort of famous and his fame of being a good guy finally kicked in, after the bard sang his song to every single citizen he could. That did make things easier, he would get more contracts then the other witchers and have a bit more of respect, since everyone hated and were deeply afraid of witchers, but still, it was hard as always. Although Dandelion was no where to be found, his songs were definitely everywhere to be heard, the bard was last seen drunk with some woman in Novigrad. 

As if the Gods wanted to laugh harder at Geralt's disgrace, after just been left again by Yen, a heavy rain started to fall from the cloudy sky, turning it into a shade of dark grey mixed with the soft grey of the gigantic amount of clouds moving slowly above the White Wolf's head. Geralt cursed with every possible word he knew, as the water hit his clothes, making every centimeter of his body wet. He passed his hands on his hair, trying to take it away from his face, but the rain would't quit and the hair kept making it's way to the front of the yellow cat eyes. Geralt took a deep breath, accepting mother's nature will and followed his way.

"Guess it's me and you again, roach" he gently stroked the wet hair on his horse's neck, before jumping on top of him and riding away.

The wind was blowing as cold as ice and the warmth of Geralt's body was starting to fade away. He'd being riding for over three hours when the tip of his fingers went numb and Geralt realized he had to stop. Call it pure luck, but as soon as it started to snow, the white wolf found his way into a small village just outside of Velen. He had a total of 50 coins, enough to buy him a hot soup, but not enough to buy himself shelter for the snowy night ahead.

Geralt secured that Roach wouldn't escape and entered the only tavern in the village, he couldn't really remember the name but it was something like Ale and whatever else, something eatable, he guessed. He walked in, rubbing his hands one against the other in the hope the friction would heat his frozen fingers. Two holes were found in his gloves, a sign that it was time to buy new ones, but as said before, there was no money left for anything but food. His dark blouse looked stretched and felt like it was about to burst a hole on his back, the trousers were so dirty no cleaning would ever get rid of the spots all around it, his boots were surrounded by mud and dry blood and it's sole was hanging off for a while now. His armor was in a "ok" state, the only sharp and clean were his swords and bow. 

The White Wolf sat down on the furthest, darkest table, his back was sore and his shoulder was burning from his newest cut, made by not one, but two Drowners from his latest contract, that was used to pay a debt with his old friend currently living in Novigrad. He passed his hands trough his ashed hair, it felt oily, greasy, his nails were dirty and his beard needed a serious trim. A silver blade shined with the only light close to him, fire. 

Suddenly Geralt's mind that was just filled with the thought of a hot bowl of soup drifted into one thought, one word to be more specific. Destiny. Most of the time he didn't believe in such a thing, but now the word was ringing in his head, an unstoppable, unbearable buzz, different from his tinnitus. Was it real? Would it ever be real? Was it once real? He just thought it sounded stupid, being bounded by destiny, even with everything that happened between Yen and him, his faith was still pretty weak, almost nonexistent. He thought about religion, gods and monsters, about freya and odin, the white flame and how faith in something bigger could tear someone apart, or worse, start wars, fights and instigate more prejudice than already has. He thought about one time he was in Novigrad, tired after just killing a werewolf that had murdered half of the men that went on a quest for some Captain, he was paid of course, he did the dirty job and the guard that hired Geralt finally felt avenged, but no long after, as he was playing a round of Gwent, some priest or whatever that spreads the words of the White Flame came up to Geralt, yelling hurtful words, that wouldn't even tickle Geralt's ego, instead it just annoyed him. It suddenly turned into spectacle, as peasants from all around threw rocks, tomato and eggs at him, telling how much of a freak he was, a mutant that shouldn't even exist. No wonder why he hated religion so bad and yes, the idea of destiny. Why would destiny make his mother throw him away and make him suffer deeply to become a witcher? Did destiny want him to be hated? Was it his destiny to be alone till his end? 

"Would you like something to eat?" a voice suddenly brought him back to reality, his broke ass hard life. Geralt took a deep breath, not looking up, it was a way to avoid the stares at his eyes, it only took one look into his "cat" eyes that his entire "disguise" was over and hatred would consume the human heart, sometimes to the point of kicking him out, and the last thing Geralt wanted at that moment was to be outside facing the cold night.

"Hmm...what is your cheapest soup?" he asked, with his deep, deep voice, Yen said it was unique, Vesemir would just say it was cocky and forced, always getting a giggle out of Geralt.

"This is Velen, sir, we only have vegetable soup" the woman rolled her eyes, she had black long hair rolled up in a bun, fair skin and dark eyes.

"Then give me one of that and a beer".

"Sure" she went away, seeming convinced enough that Geralt was a human, or she just really didn't care what he was. 

Geralt didn't wait long for his soup, soon his dinner was displayed in front of him, with a wooden spoon and a soup that tasted like vomit and dirty well water. He wanted to complain but his stomach started to hurt from the lack of any substance in it, so there was only a choice, feed the monster is his belly and quit his hunger, while wishing he had more coins to get drunk, so this food would be more bearable. The white haired man took one zip of his beer when a strange man sat down in front of him, uninvited.

"It's hard to find you, white wolf" he said, with a dark green hood covering his face.

"Easy to spot you, green hooded man" Geralt replied, uncomfortable with the presence of the unknown stranger. Geralt was constantly meeting new, unknown people, due to his job, but it didn't mean he enjoyed it one bit and he trusted almost no one.

The man chuckled, taking off his hood. He had dark brown hair, starting to fade away into a look that only people that didn't accept well aging would do, the ugly ass bald with little hair around it. He didn't look too old, neither too young, but he had a expression of joy, which was weird, since the man was in Velen and no one, sincerely, no one, liked this wasted land. His eyes were in a tone of clear blue, almost cristal, just like the sky in a sunny, but cloudy day. His lips were small, so small it seemed nonexistent, but they were there, full of words to pronounce and promises to make. He had age lines in his forehead and dark circles under his eyes, that had almost no eyelashes. He had two silver rings in his fingers, one on the left and one in the right.

"Funny man" he ordered a beer "so, I can see you are in a bad position, Geralt".

"Why do you think that?" Geralt tried taking another spoon of the soup, but it was just god awful and his face showed it without a doubt.

"Because of that" the man said, pointing at Geralt's expression of disgust.

"Since you know my name aren't you going to tell me who are you and what do you want?" Geralt seemed uncomfortable, whenever someone knew he wasn't full of money they'd drop their offer for the job and it always ended up with him getting at least 100 coins less.

"Of course, where are my manners" he raised his hand to Geralt "I'm Letus, I'm a sorcerer who needs a little help from the best witcher to be found" Letus had a greedy smile that Geralt just hated.

"What monster do you need killin" the white wolf, getting more impatient, said, he just hated how sorcerers would try to make things poetic instead of just going directly to the point.

"Well, yes, I do need help exterminating a monster" he coughed "but I do need for you to bring the entire body back, it's crucial for my research, if you can bring it alive I can add some extra coins, definetely".

"you sorcerers and your psychopathic researches. You are all the same. You talk nonsense while making wise and meaningful faces." he had flashbacks from the past "what is it? a kikimora?" he couldn't help o laugh.

"It's a monster never seen before, Geralt, it's fascinating, but also the most dangerous monster you will ever face" you could spot the anger in his eyes but also the excitement, he was purely fascinated by whatever creature and it showed, but you could also see it how much the man hated the creature, almost to smell the anger he exhaled, as clear as glass.

"I doubt it, I have fought every monster you can imagine" Geralt said, full of sarcasm.

"But this one you never imagined, Geralt, I'm sure, not even in your wildest dreams" now the tone in his voice said everything, it was greed, pure greed and Geralt knew, just by the way the man was talking that this sir would do anything to get this beast.

"It's not like I can be peaky this days, so tell me about this 'new' monster" Geralt couldn't help to let a little laugh escape his lips, as he looked down into his beer.

"First, I want to tell you my offer, first I will give you 2000 coins for the beast, 1000 extra if it's alive, and, oh, new clothes, you will need a lot of protection against fire, this beast is like a dragon but" he took a deep breath, trying to manage a way to describe the beast in the exact way he envisioned. 

"But what?" Geralt said, thinking about all the things he could do with such money.

"But...in a body of the most beautiful, contagious, magnetic, charming, drawn woman you will ever meet" he smiled a bit "not that I think it's beautiful, I despise it, but it's had been described as the words I just told you".

"And does this dragon lady have a name?" it got to a point where Geralt was barely believing in any word that this man was pronouncing, he was holding back his laughter, thinking the so called sorcerer was just drunk and in need of any attention, but as soon as he finished the next sentence, Geralt felt his throat dry and was sure, the sorcerer was dead serious, and what he once thought was just a tale, might, just might, be true.

"She is a beast of many names, Geralt, some even call the damn monster a goddess" Lotus seemed disgusted for a moment " I like to call her the biggest monstrosity ever created, but you should know her as _**The Burning Witch**_ "


	7. Monstrosity

°°°

 _ **"you're the biggest monstrosity the world has ever seen and there's no way on earth you will be ever loved"** _was the last thing she heard before finally making her escape, running towards the portal her bare hands opened with the last string of power left, the portal for safety, freedom, something she hadn't experienced in over a two winters. That voice, that damn deep, raspy, elder voice echoing as the rain poured down, heavy, paralyzing, ruthless, soaking her from head to toe, taking her breath away as the drops entered her nostrils. Both of her hands were buried deep into the mud, wet, grainy, smelly, she could feel a worm wrapping itself around her index finger, crawling, with a gushy feel. Hestia pushed herself out of the whole they had shoved her into, metaphorically, because well, she was getting up from a pool of deep mud. 

Hestia looked up to the sky and opened a big smile as a laugh joined the cold air in pure joy. Tears ran down her cheeks nonstop, as fresh air accessed her tired lungs that had to deal with smelly air for longer than one winter, humid, heavy. It felt so good to smell something other then her own shit and seat, to finally smell again wet earth, flowers, nature, since she'd been surrounded by wet rock walls and wooden torture chairs for so long. The burning witch finally took her hands off the mud, wiping it in her naked belly. Hestia looked down, facing her bare body, full of cuts, burns, scars, marks from days she wished seized to exist. 

The woods were dense and the moon was the only thing lighting the darkness that surrounded the young girl. Since it was raining and Hestia had a deep fear of anyone seeing her powers in action, the copper haired lady decided to not use her flames to light up the path, guiding herself only by the stars and it's shine. Even though she'd never been out of Aretuza, Hestia had studied a lot of history and geography, and there was this one image of a forest she saw drawn on one of the books, it was the most far away from Aretuza she could picture, so that's what she went, throwing herself in that portal. Her entire body hurt, her spine felt like it was about to drawn apart just by the thought of standing up, her feet barely remembered what was to walk, only to stand still, for the tortures she endured. Just to imagine standing up was petrifying, her PTSD would kick in as quick as she shoved her feet in the mud. 3 days standing, that was the longest she could bear, as the legs shacked nonstop and the vomit dripped from the breasts. 

Remembering was by far the worse, Hestia's brain was so traumatized she could feel the blade tearing down her skin into dark forbidden magic symbols, feeling her insides being electrified. But she was free, she had been for over 10 minutes, yet, she couldn't stand, thanks to the unpleasant self sabotage of her twisted mind.

A drop of blood found it's way to the ground, soaking in with the wet earth, Hestia's hand quickly flew to the nose, the source of the unstoppable bleeding.

"Fuck" she said, low enough so no one would hear, not that she was thinking of that at all, or that the sound of the rain wouldn't muffle her swear, it was just that her throat was sore from all the screaming in pain. She laughed, in a sign of pure trauma, when realized her voice was husky "great, thanks Letus" the laugh was now bathed in sarcasm.

Hestia stared at her hand, realizing only now that her entire left arm was in a shade of dark red, almost bourbon. A year ago looking at her marks would probably bring tears to her eyes and anger to her childish heart, but now there was nothing of that left, only thirst for revenge and no care for looks, even though Tissaia always thought looks and manners were everything to a mage, "you have to look presentable, always, Hestia, always, or else no King will want you by his side". 

"Fuck her" she thought, hugging her naked body, nails carves into her back, as her body started to shiver from the cold, heavy rain.

How could she ever let this happen to her daughter? What sort of heartless person would allow a loved one to be torture? Did she also believe Hestia was a monster? Were all the nice moments lies? Plays of a false love? Why didn't Yennefer come after her? How come she was left alone once again? Maybe it was her purpose, to roam as a beast, helpless, alone, bringing fear and disgust to humans all over the Continent. Perhaps Letus was right, she was a monster and no one would ever love her. It was only just a dream, Yen, Tissaia, the whole "taming it" and trying to live normal. Because she wasn't normal, Hestia was a source of colossal power, any conqueror would fight to have her on their side, if only she manged her power better, then maybe she would be able to bargain her way out of deep shit. 

Taken by an unbelievable will to fight, Hestia finally stood up, her thighs shaking from lifting her weight, even though she was as light as a feather. Head up, looking at the stars, like Tissaia thought her, at least one thing she would carry from the woman she believed was her mother. Her face was lit by the moonshine, among with her left side of the body, from her colar bone to the kneecap. Hestia opened her eyes, staring deep into the moon, her lips slightly open with a small gap between the upper and down lip, trying to take control of her heavy breathing, drops of water wetting her dry mouth, the blood dripping from her nostrils, flowing around her mouth, down her neck, her hair making paths, rivers of water down her spine, all the way to her bottom. Hestia put her tongue out into the rain, enjoying the refreshing feeling of her thirst being interrupted. She opened a big smile as the taste of water mixed with the metallic taste of her own blood.

At that same night Hestia made her first kill, wolves, so she could end her hunger and wrapped in wolf skin, she walked through the woods, with not a slight sign of fear on her bright red eyes, making her way to the obnoxious swamp of Velen. 


	8. Once Upon a Dream

° **°** °

**_Geralt laughed so loud_** that everyone in the tavern looked at him, seeming like a crazy man, he kept laughing nonstop. Just the thought of such bullshit would make him restart the giggle before it had a chance to stop. The White Wolf pressed his hand against his belly, hoping that would somehow make the little pain, that felt almost like a tickle, stop, all that just from laughing so hard. For one second he believed the guy and that well, The Burning Witch wasn't a tale, but in the end, the way Letus said it, so dramatically, sounded just like a mother trying to scare a kid, a bed time horror story.

"What is so funny about what I said?" Letus stared at the giggly man, trying to understand such intense reaction, since he found no fun at all in a task like that, in a monster so horrifying and also, it was a common believe that witchers had no feelings, so how could this witcher be laughing so hard? How did these serious set of words make a witcher seem so human?

"why are you trying to prank me? Are you drunk, sorcerer? Seriously man, good one, I was almost taking the job" Geralt took a long drink of his beer, still smiling, he put the cup down and shook his head, it was just unbelievable to him that someone would bring up an old tale, a myth, just for a prank "you almost got me".

"I don't understand your reaction, Geralt" Letus had an expression of pure confusion and yet a bit of anger, he was indeed offended that the sorcerer would joke about an important task like that. It was all his research being made fun of, his latest and biggest discovered, that unfortunately, to him, escaped because of one stupid, basic mistake. 'who brings a fucking torch close to a fucking fire witch?' his anger grew from the thought of everything that happened. 13 years passed since Hestia flee from his laboratory, since he fulfilled his dream, to have her all for him, for the studies, for science, what Letus believed was the girl's purpose since day one, since she was found by Aretuza's shore, but no, Tissaia had to convince the Board that he was the mean, mad sorcerer and she was a mother to a horrendous infant. She was cute, that he'd admit, but monsters can hide in pretty skins, but deep he knew, she was no good. The Board set rules, filled with empathy in their hearts, an empathy that faded away as the cute little girl turned into a powerful mage. 

"Is this a joke to you?" The sorcerer finally broke out in a serious and firm tone "I'm not joking, she is real, I know her, I saw her with my own two eyes, it is real" he corrected himself, Letus just hated when he confused the words, calling Hestia a she instead of a it.

"oh, you _are_ serious" Geralt finally stopped giggling, now carrying a curious look on his face, trying to read the expression on Letus face, still shocked that the man was being real from the beginning "you know she is just a myth right? A Tale to scare kids that play with fire, like that saying: kids that play with fire piss in their beds" he took the last zip of the beer, disappointing it was already over "her prophecy doesn't even rhyme, true prophecies always rhyme".

"Look, Geralt, I will tell you all you need to know about the damn thing, just don't make fun of my research" Letus took a deep breath, shutting his eyes for a brief moment, before opening it again calmer "We will start by feeding you proper food and then I'll tell you the truth about the Burning witch, no myths, the raw, undeniable, proven truth, and of course, we will discuss your payment".

"okay okay" he lifted his hands, in a sign of acceptance, still not convinced of the veracity of the myth, but in need of money, Geralt would take any contract "I would love some real food, not this cra-" he stopped talking for a second when the waitress passed close by "crap soup".

"Miss!" Letus raised his hand and the woman walked closer "bring the most delicious food you have, I don't care how much it costs, two of each" the man opened a greedy smile, raising his hand to the witcher "so, do we have a deal?".

"Yes, sir" Geralt shook the man's hand, sealing the deal.

*******

"So, are you satisfied? You can bathe yourself and then go to sleep, we can talk tomorrow, I'm incredibly tired" Letus said, holding his hands behind his back "Lis will take you to your room for the night, if you don't mind" Lis, a gorgeous blonde woman, with beautiful features and voluptuous breast hiding behind one big cleavage, opened a soft smile, opening her left arm in the direction of the room.

"Great" Geralt said, rubbing one hand against the other.

After that there was not much left to do or say, just rest. Lis helped Geralt bathe, making him feel just like a King, or at least from royal blood, it had been a while since he was treated so well, which made him suspect there was something odd about Letus and his entire "research". But well, the ashed hair witcher needed money and he was not into trying to make this harder already, dealing with a fire witch seemed hard enough.

Geralt laid on the bed, almost immediately falling asleep, completely exhausted.

*******

_"One, two, three, the mage crossed the sea,_ four, five, six she jumped over the cliff" Geralt woke up to the sweet voice of a little girl. With his eyes wide open, the White Wolf found himself standing in the middle of a hall. A young girl with copper hair, reddish cheeks, snow skin and deep red eyes passed by his side at full speed, singing, jumping up and down, her hair dancing all around. She had a big smile crossing her face, showing off her beautiful teeth, very aligned upper teeth and a bit crooked down teeth. 

"seven, eight, nine, she crossed the line" she kept singing, with her tender voice. Geralt started following the young girl, his footsteps twice as big and fast as hers, quickly getting closer to the girl.

" ** _BEAST_** " a sudden voice yelled, right next to him. He saw the girl getting hit by a rock, on the face. It made a tear, close to her eyebrow.

"HEY! Stop it!" Geralt yelled, trying to find the source of the voice, but he couldn't seem to find it at all.  
  
" ** _MONSTER_** " another voice, now hitting the copper haired girl's left hand.

Both of them laughed, as the redhead crawled back, just like a turtle, trying to hide in her shell, as if that was possible or helpful in anyway.

Suddenly everything went black and Geralt had a feeling he was falling, but since he couldn't see one palm ahead, only the breeze on his back made him believe he was falling. He felt like he hit the ocean, after falling from a high cliff, taking away all the air on his lungs as he felt his back ache from the impact. Geralt got up, disoriented, and tried to grab the sword on his back, but non of his swords were there, not even his bow. And as quick as he fell, a light appeared a couple steps further from Geralt. It was a fireplace, with flames in shades of blue, red and yellow. His sight started to adept to the gloom, being able to observe better what was around him.

A woman. With long, voluminous copper hair, wavy like the waves of the ocean, crashing against the rocks close to a cliff, a cliff he just fell into this breathtaking view. Her skin was fair, like she'd bathed in moon light, dipped into twilight and kissed by a full moon. Geralt couldn't see her face, since she was facing the firelight, but he could see her shape, so incredibly smooth, her posture was impeccable and she exhaled a very strong, but delightful smell of burning rosemary. She was finalizing tying up her magenta dress, long sleeved, that went all the way to her ankles. The woman was barefoot and the White Wolf got to take a look at the delicate and small feet that the copper haired girl owned. 

Geralt took a couple of steps, with the intention of getting closer to the majestic view just ahead of him. She took two more steps further from him, opening a wooden window, to the view of mountains and a beautiful starry night, along with the coldest breeze he had ever felt. The woman wrapped her arms around herself, as a sign of feeling cold. She took such a deep breath you could hear it from steps away. Geralt continued to make his way to her, he was instantly attracted to the magnetic power she exercised. The White Wolf raised his big, strong left hand towards the lady, trying to touch her arm, softly enough to not scare her. It was like she was a gentle deer, that Geralt had to be as smooth as possible to not scare away, at least that's what he felt. When he finally touched the woman's arm, feeling the silk of her dress, she turned back so quick it gave Geralt a little scared. She looked completely confused, staring deeply into his yellowish, catlike eyes. He stared right back at her, as intense and as deep as she did, but her eyes were different from any pair of eyes Geralt had ever seen, they were hypnotizing, in a shade of dark red, but a bit lighter closer to the pupils, he thought most people would be afraid of such eyes, it's shape, it's color and it's depth was to make anyone fall to her knees, shaking to death or to run away as fast as possible, but he didn't feel that, he felt heavily drawn by those reddish, daunting eyes.

A loud gasp escaped, as he woke breathless, heart racing Geralt, as he sat down quickly on the bed. He looked all around for the copper haired lady, but the room was empty, making him comeback to reality, realizing it was all just a dream. His hands were holding tight to the sheets, his entire body covered in sweat, sticky, heated, shirtless and breathless. 

"Holy shit" he said to himself, looking at his body, covered in sweat, including his hair that was dripping in a cold snowy night. He finally let go of the sheets and laid back on the bed, letting out a 'ouch' feeling his back hurt. How come a dream could make him feel actual pain? Was any of that even real? He had never had such an intense dream, that felt so real from beginning to end, actually, Geralt would barely dream, it was the first time in years that he dreamed of anything. His breathing was still out of pace and Geralt could feel his heart pounding against his chest, his mind was racing, trying to memorize the image of the woman he dreamed of. Why was he feeling that way? Why did he feel so drawn to her? What was in that woman that made him feel that way? He had never seen anyone that looked quite like her, so how could he dream of someone he had never seen? 

Geralt rested his head against the pillow, hoping his body would calm down in a bit, and it did, it took a while but he finally rested, still thinking of the lady in red.


	9. Chapter 9

° **°** °

_"Revenge is not the answer. Rage is not the feeling that lingers in your heart, if you keep going like this, you'll turn not only your enemies into ash, but whoever's in the way"_

°°°

 _ **Blood**_. Old blood. Fresh blood. Under the fingernails, on the strands of the oily hair, on the skin, dripping, drop to drop, to the ground. The taste of metal on the side of her cheek, after biting it accidentally. Tired eyes of sleepless nights, tired lungs from running for days, empty, irritated stomach from eating so little and so poorly, thinner legs and arms, blurred thoughts and fuzzy memories of an exhausted mind. Her body covered in a dress she stole two towns ago, not a single soul kind enough to offer a plate of food, a bath, cover from the snow. The cloak with a hood, in a shade of emerald, stolen right before running away from her captivity, trying to hide her eyes behind the fabric, trying to hide what people thought belonged to a mutant or worse, a monster. Taking bath in rivers and hunting dinner was Hestia's life for over 2 months, too afraid to join any village, with no company whatsoever. 

It was a cloudy day when Hestia entered the dense forest again, intrigued by the sight of a beautiful blonde woman, with curly hair and muddy boots, running through the fields of cotton. She didn't know why she was following the lady, but Hestia felt the urge to approximate to the situation that seemed to be unfolding badly, as other 5 men, in healthy, big horses tried to catch up the fleeing woman. Hestia ran as fast as she could, her feet hurt and her legs were sore for walking for months, but still, that urge grew stronger in her chest, as she entered the woods, searching for any sight of the woman. Finally she saw the gang of bandits catching up to the blonde lady, as an arrow passed through her horse's leg, making it trip and her fall to the ground. The men surrounded her, screaming words she could not understand, they seemed angry about something, but Hestia was no mind reader. 

The blonde woman looked weak, she looked harmed and exhausted, there was no way she could fight all of those men by herself. In an intense urge to help the woman, Hestia caught up to the men, instantly throwing herself in the middle, arms raised, in a way to try to protect the blonde. Her eyes were bright red and the palm of her hands started to heat and let a small bit of steam out.

"Get the fuck out of our way, you freak" the taller man, with dark crow hair and dark brown eyes said, showing his yellow, crooked teeth, as he pointed an arrow at Hestia's forehead. 

"you will leave this woman alone, right now" Hestia pronounced the words full of determination, in an intimidating threatening tone.

All of them laughed, making fun of the beaten redhead in front of them, how would such a small, hurt, bleeding woman, ever defeat all of them? They could only believe she was wrong in the head, retarded or whatever, and in that the bandits saw a perfect chance, to rape, steal, and kill two women easily. 

"another one for us to rape and steal, looks like the gods are happy with us" the smaller one, with dark blonde dirty hair and a big scar across his cheek said, holding his genitalia, with one hand, as he held his sword tighter. 

"I will say this one more time" Now Hestia's eyes lit up, the redness in it turned into lava, flowing around her pupils, her hands, all the way to her elbow turned bright red as she pronounced "go away or you will face the consequences of being a piece of _shit_ ".

"SHE'S A BEAST!" the taller one screamed, pointing at Hestia "KILL THE MONSTER".

It seemed like all was in slow motion, as they ran closer to her, with their fists up, swords in attack position and angry, disgusted faces. It didn't take one second for them to be burned to the bone, lying dead on the ground, with their skins melted and eyes evaporated. "Less five rapists in this fucked up world" she thought, before collapsing on the ground, with her powers weak and her body close to succumb.

***

Hestia was asleep for a total of 4 nights, as the blonde woman cured her, with spells, positions and oils. Her bruises and cuts were covered with a mix of herbs and liquids extracted from animals and plants Hestia would never imagine existed at all. The redness on her arm was lighter, due to "forbidden" magic this mysterious lady knew very well. She'd given her a bath only with a piece of tissue, mixed with water and again, herbs, but no matter how much she scrubbed or bathed her in roses, a strong smell of burning rosemary was still lingering in the girl's body, which amazed the woman. But that was definitely not the thing that stunned the blonde woman more, seen such powerful energy emanating from a young, tired body fascinated her. She had never seen such strong power, such control of fire and caos, and she was beyond mesmerized when she saw the red marks erupting from the redhead's body.

For the duration of those four days the woman studied the redhead completely blacked out, trying to understand why and how she had those powers, from where she was, how many moons she had survived and if she was indeed a beast or a human. She was not a human, but she was also, no beast. The blonde also took a sample of the girl's blood, examining it to see what she was and it reveled to have traces of human and also, royal, elven blood. It was an outstanding discovery, which explained a lot about how powerful she was, since elvens were known to be a very powerful race, to an unknown extend, since humans were terrified of them and treated their entire race as scum.

What the lady also did was search for prophecies, legends, any information about a fire witch, a burning woman, in any books or old tales. That took the longest and was also the most excruciating part, to not only find those books but to read them, the research was beyond extensive and there was not much Elven literature available anywhere. The blonde thought she was getting closer to a big break through when Hestia finally opened her eyes.

"Good morning, fellow mage" The blonde woman said, with a warm tone and sincere smile "Hope you are feeling better, you were in a worse shape than I, which is very surprising" she continued, sitting in a chair, in front of the girl.

"Where am I? And who are you?" she stood up quickly, but felt dizzy, taking support on the bed, with one head in her head, feeling a sting right on the back.

"I'm glad you're awake, I definitely missed sleeping in my own bed, the ground is not the most comfortable place, you know" she joked, standing up and raising her hand to Hestia "I'm **Fiona Astenburg** and you are at my house, at the beautiful village of Cartsen, a village named after a baker whose exquisite goods gained him fame, as well as a privilege of supplying bread to the table of the hierarchic of the Church of the Eternal Fire in Novigrad. Following his death, none proved capable of recreating his recipes for his delicious and deeply aromatic breads, so these days Cartsen is known chiefly for it's trade in grain and flour, but I am pretty good at making bread myself".

"Does this mean you have bread, Fiona?" Hestia said in a fun tone, lightly stroking her head "and anything that can cure the worse headache ever?".

"Well you did faint and hit your head on a rock, no wonder your head hurts like hell" Fiona pointed out as they shook hands "Fortunately for you, I just made some bread but first, would you mind telling me your name?".

"I'm Hestia, Hestia de Aretuza".

"De Aretuza? You mean you were born there? how come?" She sat on the table, cutting the fresh baked bread, exhaling rosemary "I was inspired by your weird and strong aroma of rosemary, hope you like it".

"It's a long story, Fiona, sure you don't wanna hear it all" Hestia sat on the chair in front of the blonde "I've been told that, by an old friend".

"Told what?" Fiona said distracted, diving in the food.

"That I smell like burning rosemary, she used to love that...".

"your smell?" Fiona giggled, shoving a piece of bread on her mouth.

"Yeah".

"And what did she smell like?".

"Who?"

"Your friend, of course!"

"Like lilac and gooseberries...".

° **°** °

° **°** °


	10. The Quest

° **°** °

Geralt woke up exhausted, never had he had such an bad night of sleep, not even when he had to camp on the edge of the smelly swamps of Velen in search of monsters to slay for coin. His back was still sore and his eyes red from waking up all night long. He stretched his muscles, still on the bed and then set down. The sun was still hidden behind the mountains as Geralt stood up and walked towards his clothing. The white wolf turned around, facing the mark of sweat of the shape of his body on the cushion. Geralt grunted to the sight of his bed and decided to disregard his dream as anything but just a dream and moved on with his day, as if nothing had happened and the woman in his dream was just some other face he might have seen the day before. "That's how dreams work, right?" he thought.

The table was set for two and filled with food, different breads, fruits and even two options of juice. Letus was already sitting on the table, drinking a coup of juice, very calmly while reading a book. He finally took notice of Geralt's presence when the white wolf approached the table, taking a long look at all that food. "Too much food, too much generosity, too much kindness and privileges, there is definitely something wrong, or he's just trying to convince me to keep the job, because it's probably impossible to fulfill or many other gave up" Geralt finally realized.

How many witchers had Letus approached before? How many turned him down and why? Why was he willing to pay so much and give so much for just bringing a beast?

It felt wrong, it looked like a trap, that would take Geralt to his death bed, but worse than dying, it smelled...immoral, it didn't feel right at all, not like the other times, there was something the sorcerer was hiding, obscure, for a very specific reason and Geralt felt that the reason was because it was wrong, it was very wrong. But still, the curiosity killed the cat and the White Wolf was as curious as a young kid that wanted to explore the world.

So he finally set down, next to Letus and the feast begun. Geralt made sure he ate a bit of everything, maybe a lot of everything actually, since he had no idea how long would take to have another feast like this. It could take weeks, months, to find this beast and to find a way to bring it back to Letus, that would be even harder. Now he was waiting for Letus to start his speech, with something that seemed powerful but would just end up the same, do this do that and you'll get your pay.

Letus coughed and took a long zip of orange juice,which was unusual, since they were in Velen, also known as no men's land and barely a thing could grow in such disgraceful, abandoned land, let alone oranges. Geralt was sure Letus must be rich, there was no reason other than that, to justify such delicious food, mostly found in Novigrad or among the Emperor of Nilfgard.

"So, shall we begin?" Letus said, using a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"Sure" Geralt answered, doing the same.

"Come to my study room, all the information is there" he then stood up, and guided Geralt towards the room.

Letus set down next to his writing desk, full of books and loose papers. He searched among them, his eyes running fast on the lines and lines of phrases and draws, some of them seemed blurred, a few pages were burned and others ripped, Geralt thought he'd definitely get lost in the middle of so many words and papers, but Letus seemed to navigate them easily, just like a captain traveling with his boat on a calm sea.

"Here it is" Letus said, picking up a few pages "Would you like to sit down? This might take a little while" he pointed at a chair.

"No need" Geralt said, coming closer to Letus "so what should I know about the beast?".

"First of all I shall tell you something" Letus took a deep breath "this is not the first time I hire someone to go after the beast, unfortunately most of them have died on the quest, trying to figure out where the witch is, some of them came back and gave up, giving me information they discovered in exchange for part of the coin, others went missing and were never seen again, only one managed to find her, he sent me a letter, completely out of his mind, saying he couldn't bring such marvelous women to certain death, she clearly bewitched him, some sort of love spell, which didn't surprise me since she is beautiful to the eyes of thirsty lonely weak men" he rolled his eyes "I hope this hasn't scared you, witcher".

"Not at all" he answered.

"This is the my second attempt with a witcher, I hope it will go better this time, with the infamous White Wolf" he grinned "Cutting to the actual matter, since you don't mind what I just told you, let's start with the beast? Shall we?" Geralt grunted and signed with his head for him to keep going "you must know this already from the tales, but it looks like a woman, with red hair and red eyes, fair skin and a tender voice, she might look charming, but she, it is dangerous "Letus corrected himself "she is known for having an extraordinary and incredibly untamed power over heat, not only fire, so her biggest weakness is water, the cold weather calms her and reduces her power, the summer is just juice to her power to grow stronger. You shall get a new armor, more resistant to fire, in case you actually confront her, there is a Master Armor in Novigrad that will help you with that, just tell him you're working for Letus and he shall arrange things for you."

"I can't help but wonder why you want this beast, Letus" Geralt said, skeptical, normally people would put up contracts for reasons such as, a brother murdered by the beast, or the beast is terrorizing the village, sometimes it was just by fear, but it seemed this particular beast wasn't causing any trouble at all, so why chase it down?.

"you heard the tales, Geralt, I'm sure of it, you know how dangerous it is" Letus was on the edge of feeling offended by Geralt's lack of disgust for the beast "she burned an immense amount of soldiers of Nilfgaard, including half of the family of the Emperor."

"His family died when the castle burned to the ground, no mystical cause, why would they lie about it?".

" they insist on saying it was just an accident, but I know it wasn't, and the Emperor also know this, they just hide it to show they are still on control" Letus sounded crazier by the minute, more and more obsessed with this beast, Geralt was sure it was something personal that affected Letus, or else he wouldn't have all this rage, not even by being consumed by all prejudice in the world would make someone so spellbound.

"What else did it do?" Geralt questioned.

"Isn't that enough? Knowing how she murdered men and is just a obnoxious beast?" Letus was about to lose his posture.

"I was never a fan of Nilfgaard, I must say" he wrapped his arms one another.

"Well, if you need more motivation, she burned five workers to the bone, just as a cold assassin, it also burned a village to the ground and made a mess around Novigrad. Have you ever heard the song about her, Geralt?".

"What song?"

"I was so sure you'd know!" Letus giggled "since your friend wrote it".

"My friend?".

"Dandelion, right? It goes something like, ruh:

_with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_devilish red eyes_

_and copper hair_

_you could hear the cries_

_of the ones she didn't like"._   
  


"I-I have heard this before" Geralt's mind was fuzzy with memories of the past that wasn't so long ago, the melody, the words, it all felt known to him, but when? how? who sang it?.

"I'm sure you have" Letus smiled, victorious, facing at Geralt's confused and intrigued expression "she was seen pretty much around everywhere, the first reports go all the way from 10 years ago, in Velen, where she murdered those poor men, after that she was seen living in the village of Cartsen, still in Velen. Afer that she was gone for around a year, only to reaper in Novigrad, last seen drinking in a tavern close to the cities entrance, the report came from the owner of the tavern, that said a woman entered his establishment in hot day and when their hands touched while giving her a drink, he felt her skin so warm it scared him, he also said her hair looked ginger yes, but her eyes were green, with some spots of red, it might mean she has changed her appearance. I also should advise you to search for your bard friend, he might know a thing or two, since he wrote a song for her. The last time she was seen on the Continent was after burning down the castle, I think you know what this means".

"You want me to see the Emperor? how the fuck am I suppose to do that?".

"Well that's your problem, not mine, right?" Letus smiled, greedy as always "it was always seen with this woman, blonde curly hair and looked...earthy, they say she was a mage, maybe finding her will help".

"And where is she?".

"Last seen close to a province of Nilfgaard, Nazair, close to Cintra" he stood up "I think that's all for now, any questions?".

"No" Geralt was cold, facing the ground, he finally looked up, at Letus, that was just glowing from the thought of having the beast "I shall go now, have a lot to do".

"Sure" Letus said "I'll guide you to your horse, it's on the stable".

"No need" Geralt said, he was tired of Letus talk and wanted to leave as fast as possible.

"Okay then" Letus added "I'll see you here, when your job is done".

Geralt turned his back and as he almost passed through the door, Letus said:

"Oh and Geralt, be careful, don't get trapped in her wicked lust spell, one look can be enough to bring you to your ruin, don't forget, it is a _monster_ , not a _woman_ ".


	11. To be reborn you shall bear no more

° **°** °

" ** _Come on Fiona_** pleaseeeee! I need to get out or I will go insane and you do _not_ want to bear my insanity it's quite annoying" Hestia ran, stopping in front of Fiona, not letting the woman finish the meal "just imagine! me and you, out in the forest, doing..." she stopped to think, what would Fiona enjoy doing on the outside? what could she say that would finally convince her it was safe for them to go out? "some drinking?" Hestia gave Fiona the funniest smile and the blonde couldn't help to laugh "I heard such tales of Novigrad, what if we just go there for a bit, have a drink, dance around, maybe watch a play?" Hestia opened a big smile, bouncing like a kid "I never ever ever saw a play! must be so amusing, please!".

  
"Hestia my dear, do you understand the danger you are putting yourself in? I'm not your mother and it is not my intention to be so, but I must advise you, one look into your eyes and you know what happens" she took a deep breath, holding Hestia's face with one hand, as the other held a bawl with eggs and sugar, as the smile faded from the redhead's complex "we will go somewhere better, I promise you, I just need time to gather some money and..." Hestia turned around and walked closer to the window, she took a wide look at the beautiful view of the back of the house, that showed the wild forest, less then 20 steps from the house.

She missed the freedom she had, even though she was extremely grateful for the food, the bed, the peace and the friendship Fiona gave to her, but still, being locked in the house was maddening and anytime soon she would loose her mind. She took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of wet earth, since they lived close to a creek and last night rained for hours. Hestia looked around, at Fiona's garden, so many flowers and different herbs, animals going all around, from bees to foxes. Fiona was a mage of the earth. 

Hestia rested her head on the opened window, wrapping her arms around herself and letting the thoughts flow insider her head. The redhead then took a deep breath, letting the air escape through her lips and with her eyes closed, she said:

"Do it, Fiona" the words came out so soft and determined, it almost seemed like they hadn't discussed it for almost a year, as it wasn't a big deal at all.

"Hestia, don't do this" Fiona stepped closer, but Hestia raised her hand, announcing her to stop "it can't be changed, you understand me? you will never look the same, feel the same".

"And would that be so bad? Not looking the same? Vanishing my devil eyes and my fire hair? Would it be that devastating to look human after all? I just want to roam with no fear of being seen as a monster, I just want to be who I am, to one day be finally loved, even if it's not my real appearance".

"Are you sure sweetie?" Fiona looked disappointed, but understood Hestia's motives, she'd probably do the same, if in her condition "It will hurt, I can give you something to numb the pain, but it will still feel god awful".

"I've been through worse" she said, almost inaudible.

"It will just take a while for me to get ready, go downstairs and wait".

***

Hestia was laying on a chair, her wrists and ankles tied up, so she wouldn't move during the procedure. She looked peaceful, staring at the fire.

"There is a cost for it, Hestia, do you remember? A sacrifice that is always made." Fiona said, lowering herself to face Hestia.

"I would have done it anyway, back in Aretuza if they didn't..." she took a deep breath.

"No need to talk about it, it will only bring bad energies".

"Just think it one last time, honey, to be reborn , you will bear no more, do you understand? You will never be able to bare a child, never be a mother".

"I don't ever want to be a mother, never wanted, never will" the anger on her voice was palpable, almost as it was materialized in front of you, to look at the disgust that the word mother bring upon Hestia. The redhead looked at the fireplace again, as the fire brought comfort to her aching sole, no expressions and no words were present anymore, just silence and a void on her womb.

"How would you like to look?" Fiona said, caressing Hestia's cheek. She closed her eyes and the first face of beauty that appeared on her mind was Tissaia, always gorgeous, with her dark chocolate and velvety hair, green emerald eyes and slim, sophisticated, rosé lips.

"Just give me dark brown hair and green eyes, I would like to remain the same, at least on the things that don't look beast like, and of course, get the red out of my skin" she seemed determined, even with all her rage for her adoptive mother, still, she had a immense care, love and appreciation for who Tissaia was and how she looked like. She didn't understand why, but she chose to look like her mother, like mother like daughter, she thought.

She didn't scream, neither struggled to get out, she just stood there, steady, with her muscles rigid, her eyes facing deep into the fire, as it lighted her body, with her wrists closed harshly, causing a small rash on the palm of her hand. You could see the muscles of her neck stiff, her veins popping out, deep red, her body covered in sweat, making it shine brighter, the lips trembling, the eyes filled with tears about to drop, but no words, just grunts of pain, muffled by her sealed lips.

She watched as her womb burned into the flames, becoming ash. She heard Fiona pronouncing the words in Elder, as she passed a brush on her eyes and her hairline. She went blind for a second, as her eyes burned like she never felt before. Her entire body shivered, feeling her scalp incinerating, hot sweat dripping on the floor, flowing through her naked body.

When the pain finally went away, Fiona bathed her, changed her and laid her on the bed. Fiona brought her a mirror and she faced the new her, completely in shock, she had never seen herself like that, it was so new, so different, so not like her, but still, she felt gorgeous, like Tissaia.

"Sleep well, my darling, tomorrow we shall go to the races" She whispered on Hestia's ear.

She stared at herself, until falling sleep, to the sound of Fiona washing her blood of the floor.

° **°** °

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. No Men's Land

° **°** °

Geralt took less then a day to get to the old cottage the beast was known to have lived 10 years ago, he had high hopes that there was something there or someone to en light his quest. 

He fed roach a carrot and caressed it's fur, they had a very deep relationship, an animal and a mutant, bonded by numerous adventures and feasts together, Geralt felt like Roach was the only being on earth that he could truly trust, and in his mind he was right, since everyone he ever trusted managed to betray him. It didn't bother much, since he was always on the road, slaying monsters from coast to coast, a life of traveling wasn't really fit for romance or stable relations. He smiled very softly, almost unnoticeable and proceeded to enter the cabin.

It seemed like an untouched home of a happy family. There was no smell of death or marks of blood, just of food gone bad. There were two rooms, the kitchen and the bedroom. The walls were made of wood, gotten from ancient trees as it seemed, with it's dark brown tone and many marks down it. There was a stove, black as charcoal, full of dust and leaves, on the top a metal pan, also covered in dust, a basket full of rotten fruits that by this stage was so soggy and putrid only a witcher could recognize what it was. On the table with four seats there were moldy breads, with many bites of what it seemed rats and two plates. On the floor a beautiful tapestry of mother nature, Geralt used his witcher senses and ended up seen what only a witcher eye could, drops of blood close to the hand of the motherly figure. He examined it very carefully.

"Drops of blood from an open wound, dry, so it's old" The witcher said to himself, while stroking the spot softly.

He stood up, looking around with his senses on a quest to find anything else. There were books on the shelf, "Herbs and it's healing powers", "the call of mother nature", "Mages", "The history of Temeria", "Nilfgaard, the rise of an Empire", "Breads and Cakes, Recipes". He flicked through some pages, finding some fingertips marked by dirty. It seemed like the person who lived here with Hestia was a mage, fascinated by the powers of earth. There were drops of paraffin from what once was a lit candle, and so much more remains of candles everywhere. The wooden cabinets were filled with rotten flower, sugar and other types of ingredients.

Geralt finally visited the bedroom. One fully structured bed and another mattress on the floor, both of them very organized. There was a unlit candle next to the bed, with a book about Nilfgaard sitting next to it. Next to the mattress on the floor there was a book about forbidden spells, which made Geralt very intrigued, he kneel on the floor, feeling the strong scent of burning rosemary on the sheets, he recognized that smell, but still was in denial. Finally Geralt took some time to think, was the beast into learning forbidden mage magic? what was her interest with mages? was she one of them? 

The smell wasn't fresh enough, so he couldn't track it to anywhere outside the house, but since the place had closed windows and doors when he arrived, it was preserved enough to follow it around the house, ending up in a door on the floor, hidden behind the tapestry he had just seen. When he opened it a strong smell of herbs and dust hit him strong, among with that striking scent of rosemary. He went down to find a laboratory, untouched for what it seems 10 years. All of the equipment that Geralt did not understand, but Yennefer knew very well, were disposed all over the place, on the walls, on the floor, on tables, etc. But the most odd of it all was a chair, a wooden chair with stripes to tie down people. Were they doing experiments? Were they trying to create another of her? There was plenty of room for imagination, but all of his theories went down the drain as Geralt recalled what mages went through to change their appearances, an empty womb, Yennefer's biggest regret.

For a moment Geralt just stood there, starring at the chair, thinking about the absent of fertility. Geralt, just like Yennefer and Hestia, was also sterile, unable to generate life, him from the process of becoming a witcher and them from the process of ascending. He climbed the stairs, bringing with him a couple of things he found in the basement. 

His thoughts vanished as quickly as they appeared, as the sound of a growl snatched his focus, as two bright red eyes stared at him, hungry, dangerous, savage eyes. Geralt's big hands quickly pulled his silver sword from his back, as the animal finally presented himself, coming out of the shadow. 

A White wolf, with silk smooth alabaster fur and snow whiskers, a robust body and sharp nails, one hurt ear and dark blood around his mouth.

° **°** °

° **°** °

For some reason Geralt could not understand, the wolf did not attack, he just walked slowly, observing the man, as he found his way to the bedroom. Geralt did the same, walking smoothly to the front door, finding an unexpected view. The wolf was laying on the bed, his head on the pillow, sniffing, trying to find the scent that left the house long ago. He laid like a little puppy would, in his mother's embraces, in it's owners legs. The wolf maintained the eyes open, still observing Geralt's next moves. 

Something inside Geralt made him unable to fight, to slay the wolf, as almost like he was looking in the mirror, a hopeless, in miss of love and care, robust wolf, with a mean look and a growl to frighten anyone that comes closer. Geralt took a deep breath and put his sword back on where it belonged, allowing the wolf to finally rest his eyes.

His instinct told him to stay at the home and follow the path of the wolf, it seemed like it had a strong connection to the owner of the house and maybe this could give him some clues to investigate. So Geralt set down and closed his eyes, resting for a brief moment.

Geralt woke up to the sound of steps. He quickly got on his feet, as the wolf walked away from the house. The witcher followed the animal, further and further into the forest, which didn't seem to bother the white wolf at all, even though it seemed aware of Geralt's presence. He kept walking when it finally stopped, in front a beautiful garden.

Plants and flowers of all types, trees so high it seemed to touch the sky, rabbits jumping around, birds and insects living it's lives. For a place like Velen, there was no way this sort of garden could grow and it amazed Geralt, the beauty of it, the strength to survive in such a hostile ambient. The wolf laid next to a tree, resting among other three little puppies, it seemed the he was actually a she, a mother wolf, looking after her kids. 

Geralt observed the place, feeling a peace he feels when meditating. He took a deep breath, as the smell of different flowers filled his lungs. His eyes finally found it's way to a medium size rock, bright silver, with writings in it. He walked closer, as his boots sunk in moist soil and fresh plants and flowers covered his boots.

The writings seemed written with fire, burned into the rock, to the draw of a full moon cycle around it.

_"Here lays the princess of nature,_

_Fiona Astenburg_

_with the heart of a mother, she blessed the lives of the ones lucky enough to encounter her_

_here she rests, protected by her most beloved family, animals and plants._

_May this place be a sanctuary for the ones in pain_

_for the ones rejected_

_for the ones that others view as inhumane_

_unlovable_

_of cold heart_

_and odd looks_

_I love you, dear Fiona"_

Geralt reached the rock with his cold fingers, touched the hot stone ahead of him.

The sky turned black and the light was gone, in the sky, all the phases of the moon showed upon the starry sky, as the howls of wolves echoed and the scent of rosemary and primrose filled his lungs, preventing any other smell from lingering. 

Geralt felt like he was about to faint, a sickness took over his stomach and he got chills from head to toes. His sight went black and quickly came back, in a view of an open field of lavender. A woman was dancing there, copper hair, snow skin, bright red eyes and pump lips. She had a sincere smile and was wearing a loose dress that flew with the wind.

The breeze was cold and there was small spots of snow all around. She was barefoot, with a red mark on her ankle.

He couldn't believe in his eyes, because there she was, the same woman from the dream, dancing and smiling, with her red eyes.

Could he be dreaming of what he thought she looked like? Or was this destiny somehow? Could it be possible that he was having visions? Was the rock he just touched in some sort of spell? Was any of that real or was he going crazy?

There was only the smell of lavender at first, but as he walked closer to the lady, rosemary joined in, making his head dizzy. She was just so gorgeous, so...free. Truly remarkable. 

A fox walked by her feet, with red fur and a white nose.

The woman got down on her knees and the fox rested it's head on the palm of her hands as she kissed the top of the fox's head, with a soft smile.

"I love you too, sparkle" she said, with a tender, beautiful tone, as snow started to fall from the sky, melting into her warm, carefree body.

The woman looked up and opened a big smile, as the fox crawled to her lap. She put both her hands on the ground. 

A crack noise coming from Geralt's boot as he stepped in a stick, stopped her peace, she looked at him, astonished. 

"You again?" she said, as Geralt kept walking closer, before collapsing by her feet.

and everything turned pitch black, once again.

° **°** °

° **°** °


	13. Off to the Races

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys ! Just wanted to thank everyone that reads this story, I'm so grateful, especially now during this difficult times, I have anxiety so staying at home with all this info about the virus is driving me crazy, the only thing that keeps me sane and happy is this story, so thank you SO much!  
> please stay safe okay? take care!

° **°** °

° **°** °

The fresh air hit Hestia's face with such subtlety, as the sun kissed her red cheeks and delight filled her chest. Her white dress flew, light and bright, with the breeze, that insisted in getting in the big gap of the dress along her legs. On her feet two black boots all the way to her knees, ready to hop on a horse and ride. Her brown velvety hair was loose, only with a delicate braid made from a small part of the hair on the top of her head, she was also wearing a tiara made of white small flowers, that fit her head perfectly.

Fiona had filled a basket with cookies, strawberries, some bread and wine. She was wearing a beautiful black hat adorned with red and pink flowers, along with a umber dress and boots of the same color. Her hair was loose and smelled like lavender.

The sun was shinning bright on the top of their heads as they walked towards the horses. One of them in a dark chocolate color, with a stripe of white on the nose, her name was Freya, Fiona named that after a trip to Skellige, where she fell in love with their gods and ways, she never told Hestia why she came back to Velen, but it was sure that her love for the isles never left. The other one was a male named Loki, with black fur on the entire body, less the feet, that were white, he was named after the god of trickery, because, well, he was a feisty, untamed horse that only Fiona new how to deal with.

They hopped on the horses and started to ride, it was going to be a long journey to reach the Vegelbud Residence, a large estate located north of Cartsen and east of Novigrad and served as home to the Vegelbud family, one of Novigrad's prominent noble houses, whose Fiona was friend with for almost a decade, taking care of their health and enjoying their amazing parties and races. She'd been a frequent visitor of the house and it's events, and was very cared especially for Oscar Vegelbud, who was completely and hopelessly in love with Fiona since the first time he saw her roaming around the river close to their residence, trying to help a fish get back to the river, since it somehow got out. Ingrid, Oscar's mother, dreamed of the day Fiona would give in and marry her sweet son, but the woman never saw herself as wife material, she loved the life of an unmarried lady, able to live her life without reporting to anyone, to have no tasks beyond what she wished to do or say.

Hestia and Fiona talked for hours, before finally entering into a quiet silent, as the sky turned red, yellow and orange, the most beautiful sunset, with it's big orange sun going to sleep and leaving the moon to fill the sky for him. When Hestia was a child she was fascinated by days and nights, by the sun and the moon, the pitch black sky with bright stars and the glowing sun with it's clouds. She drew a little story book once and gave it as a gift for Tissaia, it was the story of the sun and the moon and how she believed they were in love, but were never able to meet, since she was the lady of the night and he was the sir of the day. Young Hestia would say "good morning, sir!" after waking up and "good night, lady!" when the night came. Tissaia would find it adorable and her motherly feeling would consume her and eat her logic out.

Hestia watched as the sun went down, taking the heat away from them and bringing a colder, harder breeze.

"Skellige is so fucking cold, you have no idea" Fiona said, also looking at the sun "I mean, there's snow covering everything, is simply gorgeous, the mountains look like ice giants asleep, I always wonder what they hide", she said, filled with nostalgia.

"I wish to one day visit this so far away Cold Kingdom" Hestia smiled, facing Fiona "will you take me there?".

"I will take you _everywhere,_ sweet Hestia" Fiona turned to face Hestia "just not anywhere close to anything that was stolen by Nilfgaard".

"Why is that?".

"The emperor really hates me" she put emphases on hate "I was his mage, a couple of years ago, I made everything I could to avoid war and save innocent people, he did not take it very well, sent a bunch of men to try and kill me, eventually he believed I was dead, since he cant pay attention to anything but his own self".

"I'm always finding new things about you" Hestia said " you should write a book you know, with all the stories you tell me, even the ones I know aren't true" she joked.

"You don't believe I can fly? ruh" Fiona giggled "you silly girl".

"Neither do I believe that if you sing a certain song animals will follow you" Hestia laughed.

"I'm not a show off! Now shut up because we are here".

"Finally!" Hestia yelled.

"you're the one that wanted to go on an adventure! Adventures are tiring get used to it" Fiona got to the entrance "hello, gentlemen" she said with a tender smile.

"Nice to see you again, miss Astenburg" one of the guards said.

"We were wondering when you would be coming back, miss" the other one said, with a big smile " sir Vegelbud will be delighted to know you're here, mam"

"Well then go tell him I've arrived" she smiled, in a joking tone.

"Yes mam" he said, before leaving to the insides of the house.

The remaining guard helped both Fiona and Hestia get down from their horses. Hestia couldn't help to feel awkward since it was the first time she'd ever been treated like the others. A smile escaped her lips and she felt silly for a moment.

_"They are looking at me like_ _I'm_ _one of them, is_ _this_ _how_ _acceptance_ _feels?"_

_"just wait until you say or do something that challenges them, no beauty can get you out off the rage of illiterate men"_

The Vegelbud Residence was just mesmerizing, huge and wealthy and that's just from looking from the outside. Fiona and Hestia walked close to each other, as Fiona kept portraying herself as an lady, so Hestia copied her every move, afraid to make something goofy or disrespectful, she just wanted to be well received, nothing more.   
  


° **°** °

° **°** °

"Just observe how he is head over heels for me" Fiona winked, as the front door opened, showing an even more outstanding house, as the interior screamed wealth and good taste.

Two men and a woman stood there, with a expression of both surprise and delight.

"Sweet Fiona!" The woman exclaimed, immediately hugging the blonde.

"So nice to meet you again, Ingrid" Fiona said, with the sweetest smile.

Ingrid was a woman that looked very well preserved for her age, with some wrinkles of course, but glowing skin, beautiful black hair wrapped in a gorgeous hairstyle full of twists and turns, she also wore heels and a velvety blue dress. Her lips were thin and pink and her eyes were bright blue, just like the sky in a sunny day.

"My, my, my, I cannot believe in my eyes" the youngest man said, getting on one knee and giving a gentle kiss on Fiona's hand "my heart fills with happiness and delight whenever my eyes meet yours, dear Fiona" he finally stood up, holding both her hands.

Hestia figured he was the lover boy, Oscar. He wasn't the most handsome men she had ever seen, but he was no pain to the eye, with his dark short hair and almond eyes. What was the game changer was his smile, just oh so charming. He was also dressed very well, also in the color of blue. Hestia looked around and realized that most of the house had tones of royal blue, so maybe that was the color of the family.

"What a great surprise!" the older man said, he looked like an older version of Oscar, with grey hair and grey eyes "we were in need of a pleasant visit!" he said.

"Oh Amelot, you're so right" Ingrid smiled, he was probably her husband.

"Where is Lis? If you don't mind me asking, of course" Fiona said.

"She is studying in Novigrad, can you believe it? Our smart little girl turned into a genius of a woman" Amelot bragged, with a smile that filled his expression.

"I just wish you would have told us that you were coming! We would have made a feast of something..." Ingrid seemed worried for a bit, she appeared to be the type of host that hates being unprepared.

"Oh, don't mind us! We came to see the races! I've been telling my sweet friend, Sabina, about your amazing races and well, the amazing residents of this beautiful home!" Fiona exclaimed, pulling Hestia closer.

"So nice to meet you, Sabina!" Ingrid smiled "and how did you two meet?".

"Sabina is my new pupil! I'm teaching her all I know about my herbs and seeds!".

Hestia wanted to laugh, she understood why Fiona was lying about her, but it was just funny, the way Fiona lied, she was so bad at it but this family was so in love with her there was no way they'd call on her lie.

"We were just leaving for the last race of the day, let's go before we lose all sunlight!" Ingrid took the lead, walking to the Memorial Derby, where the race was happening.

The race was just about to start when they arrived at the Derby. Hestia took a good look around, trying to find the man in charge of the participants. She finally found him, standing on the top of the stand, yelling "last entries gentlemen!", so Hestia raced to the man, giving him quite a scare, starring at him.

"Hello I'd like to enter the race" she said, unable to contain her smile.

"I'm sorry mam but this a men's only, the woman's tournament happens only once every few months" he said, pitting her.

"Well why can't I race against men? I'm just as good as any of them, probably even better".

The man laughed so hard she felt like punching him was the only solution to end her rage.

"Even if I'd let you, costs 300 coins to enter, do you have that amount?".

"No..." she said, disappointed.

"What is the problem here gentleman?" Amelot barged in, with his chest puffed and angry eyes.

"Nothing sir, I was just telling this lady that we do not allow women to race against men" his voice trembled and you could see him trying to swallow with his dry mouth.

"Is it true you want to race, Sabina?" it took a moment for Hestia to realize he was talking to her.

"Oh, yes, sir, I'd love to" she felt shy, it was odd for her to accept any help.

"Get her horse, let's see if you are a good rider, shall we?" he smiled, like a gentleman and turned around, walking towards his family and Fiona, that were already sitting, drinking wine and watching the entire conversation.

Hestia felt her heart race, she couldn't believe the anxiety that took her from being in a race, too afraid to lose and let those men think they are somehow better than her. But she sucked it up and jumped on her horse, Freya. She whispered in Elder, calming words on Freya's ear, as she stroked her fur. She did what Fiona taught her, to feel the connection between her and the animal, letting their heartbeats sync, to become one.

The loud sound of the horn was followed by Hestia and Freya, at high speed, racing through the path, not looking behind or sideways, just racing non stop, in complete sync. Her hair was loose as the flowers escaped from her hairstyle, floating in the air, as the last rays of the sun hit her skin and shinned on Freya's fur.

Ecstasy took over Hestia's body once she passed the finish line, winning first place. All the happiness she was feeling couldn't fit on her smile, as she screamed, feeling alive. She looked to the side, searching for Fiona, waiting for her expression of joy, but only found the face of fear. The Velgebuds looked terrified as so did Fiona. They ran towards Hestia and it scared the shit out of her.

"Are you okay? Oh my dear lord we need a doctor!" Ingrid said with a shaky voice.

"What?" Hestia couldn't understand what was happening, but they kept talking, looking worried.

"How did you get burned like that? How the hell did this happen?" Amelot asked, looking at Hestia's arm.

She looked down and there it was, her red mark, showing up with all it's glory.

Hestia felt like throwing up, she didn't know what to say or what to do, she was terrified everyone would see her as a freak and that they would talk and this talk would arrive to the ears of Letus. Her heart was pounding and an instant head ache filled her skull as the words seized to exist from her mouth.

"It's just a birthmark!" Fiona jumped in "it appears whenever she fells her emotions really intense".

"This looks like a witch curse, those damn mages with their bloody magic cursing our poor people!" Ingrid spilled the words, mad with rage.

"Probably!" Fiona exclaimed "you should rest, right sweetheart?" she directed her words at Hestia, but the redhead wouldn't reply.

"I didn't notice your hair was kinda...red" Oscar said, trying to touch Hestia's hair.

"I don't feel well, I must go" was the only thing Hestia could pronounce, before racing with Freya, as far away as she could, as fast as possible and further away from all people.

Shaking.

Crying.

As fear took over her head and anger consumed her heart.

Once again, she was the monster and there was no escape from it.

No matter how hard she tried, there was nothing to do, nothing to say, no spells no herbs, nothing to change her essence.

The red would never leave her be.  
  


° **°** °

° **°** °


	14. Anniversary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh and I forgot to say, I'm probably going to be posting more often since I'm home all the time and in a very creative zone!

° **°** °

° **°** °

Geralt woke up with the worse headache. His entire body was sore and he felt an enormous pain on his chest, as if there was a rock sitting on his lungs. It took him a while to finally gather some courage to open his eyes and face the world again, he felt so tired the only thing he craved was some food and then go back to his deep sleep. His memory was a bit affected, but there was one thing that would leave his head, the image of the beautiful lady from the dream. With his eyes still closed, as he tried to go back to sleep and meet her again, to finally touch her skin and exchange a few words with her, to gather the smell of burning rosemary on his lungs and never let go again. There was something about her presence, about the way she spoke and moved, on how her eyes hypnotized him without much effort, on how she felt like home, even though they never met, how she exhaled heat and comfort, how he was sure she was a woman, not a monster. 

He finally realized she was the so called beast, the burning witch, the one he was hired to abduct, but how come she was visiting him on dreams? Was this even possible? Why and how did she find him? What was her purpose? Or was she as lost as he was? 

So many questions roamed through Geralt's head, making him feel way more tired. With his eyes finally opened, the White Wolf realized he was not in Velen anymore. His sight met with the wooden ceiling and the smell of beer and the sound of a lute made him sure of where he was.

"Fuck" he said, taking a good deep breath before sitting down.

"Good Morning, Geralt!" 

"Good morning for who, Jaskier" he replied, grunting tired.

"Well it is nice to see you again after god knows how long" Jaskier kept his silly smile lingering, because well, he was truly happy to see his old friend again "happy to see you alive as well".

"Are we in Novigrad?" Geralt said as he realized how noisy the place was.

"Oh yeah, my favorite city by far" the bard handled a cup of water to Geralt.

"No beer?" he grunted, rubbing his head.

"You almost died, Geralt, you need water to hidrate yourself!".

"I almost what?" Geralt's expression was of pure confusion.

"Did you also lose your memory? Guess 3 days passed out in the woods would do that to ya" Jaskier set down and took his instrument "that does make me creative, inspired! Can you tell me what happened? Since I wasn't there, even if it's silly I promise I'll try to make the song as amusing and heroic as possible, even though I'm sure you were epic, as always!".

"Are you sure I almost died?" Geralt insisted.

"Eh, you're fine, and then what happened?".

"What the fuck are you talking about Jaskier?" as usual, Jaskier kept talking and not explaining things at all, his habits of story telling usually would carry over to any conversation, making it ten times longer and unnecessary, which annoyed the hell out of Geralt, unless he was drunk, then it would just make him laugh.

"Oh, I guess I should tell my part of the story first, the part where _I saved you"_ he said with a smile that showed how his ego was huge "As the morning rose after a long rainy night...".

"I'm going to kill myself" Geralt stood up, searching for his things.

"No, please, wait! i'll cut to the point I promise" Jaskier begged.

"Fine" he set down once again, grunting.

"I was on my way to pay homage to my sweet friend Fiona, when I found you completely passed out in front of her grave, for reasons I do not understand" he took a long sip of his beer "I miss her every single day, my sweet Fiona, my first muse, she was the most charming, beloved, caring and lovable woman I've ever met in my entire existence, her and Hestia" his eyes suddenly turned sad, as a nostalgia hit him right in the guts, sucking all of the joy from his body, leaving him with only the long time missed memory of Fiona's kiss and Hestia's sweet smile. 

"you know the Burning Witch?" Geralt's heart that usually beats slowly, started to accelerate, as a mist of joy and worry joined his blood, roaming around his body.

"Of course I know her, she is my closest friend, but I don't enjoy calling her any of that, she is not a monster you know, even though they try their hardest to frame her as that, her name is Hestia, Hestia de Aretuza, but I used to call her sparkles, you know, because she could make sparkles and fire and all of that with her bare hands" he gesticulated with his hands, trying to imitate what she did and the results of it, which only made him laugh at how stupid he looked "but that was so long ago, over 7 years I think, 7 years without them, it definitely feels like it was just a drinking night ago" he took a deep breath and then opened his eyes widely, finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together, he stood up and pointed angrily at Geralt "Please tell me you're NOT trying to kill her, she IS NOT a monster, Geralt, I swear to all the gods I won't allow it, I won't allow you to slay her!" his hands were shaking, just the thought of his best friend slaying his other dearest friend was a nightmare he did not want to be part of "who sent you to kill her? I bet it's Letus" he started walking from one side of the room to the other, non stop, as anxiety consumed him "Is that motherfucker still trying to find her? I hate him with all my heart, I swear Geralt, he is not a good man".

"That I already knew" Geralt said, watching as Jaskier lost his mind.

"How much did he pay you? I'll pay more for you to leave her alone, just tell me his offer? 500 coins? 600? I'll find a way to pay you" he finally stopped in front of his dear friend, holding his own hands tight.

"His offer passes the 3 digits, Jaskier".

Jaskier eye's were filled with untamed tears that soon started to roll down the corner of his eyes, unto his cheeks, soaking his complexion that expressed nothing but fear and sadness. He looked down, as defeat called his name and for a moment he couldn't hear, see or say anything. He remembered the great times they had together, about the first time he ever said to a lady 'I love you' and how he meant every single word, he thought of Fiona's smell, trying his best to remember what flower she smelled of, but could only remember how Hestia smelled, of rosemary. He couldn't forget, even if he tried his best, of the day they walked in the tavern, laughing and drinking, dancing all night long, like hand and glove, a family they built for themselves, as the days gone by fast as merged days into weeks into months. He resented the day Fiona was called by the Prince of Cintra to be his mage, after decades of Cintra refusing to have any mage in their politics. He remembered clearly how he begged for her to stay, as a feeling he could not explain told him that she was in great danger, but she didn't listen, she was excited to start a new chapter of her life and quickly moved away, taking Hestia, her faithful and loyal partner, with her.

How he wished his words made sense in Fiona's mind, how he wish he had done more to stop her, to convince her.

Jaskier turned around, cleaning his tears with his hands.

"I need to take a breath, I'll be outside" he said, almost whispering and went away.

Geralt was extremely confused, since most of his knowledge of Hestia was that, well, that she was a monster that slayed people. Even if his guts told him something else, the words of Letus filled his head, words that his best friend said were lies. So he followed the bard, out of the small room into a tavern, he set down next to Jaskier, that was getting drunk just outside of the bar they were in. 

"What do you know of them, Jaskier?" he tried to sound as comforting as possible.

"So you can find her and end her life? For what? Some coin?" the bard was angry and huffed "when I wrote that song I thought you had changed, my friend".

"I was in a bad situation, Jaskier, don't judge me, he told me she was just a monster hiding in a woman's body and well I believed him, he had a strong argument and the tales tell such horrible stories".

"He who? Letus? He's a liar, greedy liar" he rolled his eyes "I so believed the tales, before meeting her, I even wrote a song about how vicious the monster was" he giggled "oh how wrong was I".

"Can you just explain me why?" a frustrated Geralt said.

"Only if you promise me you won't kill her".

"Just fucking convince me not to, Jaskier".

The bard took a long look at Geralt and then faced the view of Novigrad.

"I met them a long long time ago, Hestia used a spell to make her eyes look different, since the red eyes made her an event, she said her name was Sabina at the time. Since the Church of Eternal Fire got more and more followers, mages were being tracked down and burned at the stake here in Novigrad, it was good that they looked like normal beings. With their sweetness and care, they took over my heart and became family, to the point that Hestia trusted me enough to not only tell my name, but also her entire story. Of how she was just a baby when she was found in the shore of Aretuza and how they were all so afraid of her, of how she was tortured and used as an experiment for Letus to play with, of how she spent a year without respect, love and basic right, in a dungeon while Letus abused her. On how she finally escaped and saved Fiona from a bunch of rapists in Velen, on how they became a family and how Hestia only wanted to be treated like anyone else. Once I was ill, got a horrible fever and almost died and they saved me...they saved over and over again. Then Fiona went to serve in Cintra and Hestia followed. Prince Harry fell in love with Hestia and tried to make her his wife, but Hestia refused, he was very possessive and wanted her all to himself. He became King not long ago. And then..." Jaskier lips were shaking and so was his hands, the pain of reliving that moment of his life was too much, but he felt obligated to finish the story, so he could convince him that Hestia was more than what he thought.

"Fiona hated Nilfgaard with all of her heart, she was from a city taken by the Empire and they murdered all of her family. She hated how they treated the ones that weren't born Nilfgaardians, she always said it wasn't revenge, just justice, I remember as clear as the day how she tried to convince Hestia to give up on revenge and how it wasn't healthy for her to be so full of hatred for what she'd been through, that she needed to somehow forgive life and find peace, even thought Fiona was doing the same thing, plotting her revenge. Unfortunately she trusted on the wrong people and didn't succeed, being captured by the Emperor. Hestia came to me the day before everything happened, crying in desperation. I tried to bring comfort to her but her anger was untamed and the thirst for revenge unbearable. She arranged a meeting to try to rescue Fiona, but was misled by the Emperor, only to face Fiona being de..." Jaskier felt the will to throw up, but didn't, his throat was sore and dry, but he kept talking "decapitated right in front of Hestia" he shut his eyes tight and kept going "Hestia killed so many Nilfgaardians that night, she burned that castle to the ground, the smell of burning flesh traveled so far and the sight of the burning castle was seen for miles and miles. That's how it all got to huge proportions, she used to be just an old story for kids to not play with fire, stories no one believed and songs people adored, but soon she became a myth representing what we should fear, magic and all, everyone started worrying about the Burning Witch, as people watched her walking away bathed in flames, untouched, unharmed, out of the Emperor's house."

"After a while she reappeared at my front door, asking for help, she was being chased by the Nilfgaardian's army, she looked exhausted and about to collapse. So I helped her. She is safe now. You wanna know something? She still appears to me in dreams, not often, but at least once a year she comes to tell me everything is fine, I don't know if it's just my brain trying to accept Fiona's passing and Hestia's distance, but sometimes I truly believe that is really she on my dreams".

"That's why I CAN'T FUCKING SLEEP!" was the first thing Geralt was able to pronounce after so much information, he stood up, his muscles all tense looking like a maniac from sleep deprivation "Since I took this fucking contract there is not ONE NIGHT of peace, ONE NIGHT were it's just blank, puff! dead asleep, oh no no no, she has to crawl into my fucking brain and make me dream of her, think of her, be pitty of her" Geralt spoke so intensely that saliva was flying out of his mouth "I just wanted ONE NIGHT of good sleep, to wake up and not feel COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED OH MY GOD" he raised one finger right in front of Jaskier's face, that couldn't help but laugh.

"you know it's probably just destiny you know, I don't think she can appear in your head like that, not if she doesn't even know who you are, that's what Fiona told me, at least" he giggled "Is Geralt of Rivia in love with a person he's never met? Now that would make a great song!".

"How the hell you hid her from Nilfgaard?" he set down, changing the subject very quickly, so he would stop being so nosy and annoying.

"You promise not to kill her?" Jaskier stared into Geralt's eyes.

"She sounds like a powerful mage, not a monster and I only slay monsters" It wasn't the exact answer Jaskier was searching for, but it was good enough "I got her out of the Continent, with the help of some people from Cintra, you should go there, before Nilfgaard turns it into ashes, the Emperor has been trying to for years now, soon it will happen".

"Nilfgaard declared war to Cintra only because of a woman?".

"Not just a woman, Geralt, but yes, Hestia is the reason why Nilfgaard has being devouring everything on his way to Cintra, I just wonder what will they do once they find out she is far out from their reach".

° **°** °

° **°** °


	15. Of Bards and Mages

° **°** °

° **°** °

_"Oh fishmonger, oh fishmonger_

_Come quell your daughter's hunger_

_To pull on my horn_   
_As it rises in the morn_   
_For 'its naught, but bad luck_   
_To fuck with a puck_   
_Lest your grandkid be born_   
_A hairy young faun_   
_Bleating and braying all day, hey ho_   
_The fishmonger's daughter, ba ba_

_For 'its naught, but bad luck_   
_To fuck with a puck_   
_Lest your grandkid be born_   
_A hairy young faun_   
_Bleating and braying all day, hey ho_   
_The fishmonger's daughter, ba ba"_

The bard's song filled the tavern with joy and fun, as people danced around, drinking and kissing, falling and twisting. That was the night they met, in a tavern, playing for coin. The first time he laid eyes on Fiona, Jaskier's heart skipped a beat. No other women, and it's important to say there were plenty, ever made him feel that way. He was completely, desperately, hopelessly in love with her.

Hestia was sitting on the bar, drinking like a drunk, filling herself with a wine of debatable taste. She clapped her hands as Fiona danced all around with people never seen. She had a beautiful smile from cheek to cheek, a free soul. Extremely tired by the end of the song, Fiona set down next to her dear friend, resting her head on Hestia's shoulder, giggling. The redhead asked for another cup, now for her friend, they yelled "cheers!" toasting to liberty and a night of fun.

Soon Jaskier started to play another song, with the intention of impressing sweet Fiona with his espetacular rhymes, and so he said:

" _"with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_devilish red eyes_

_and copper hair_

_you could her the cries_

_of the ones she didn't like_

_with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_a princess, a demon, a woman maybe_

_you run for safety_

_but there she is_

_the_ _ mage  _ _with a killer instinct_

_some say she lives in dreams_

_others say a nightmare is what she is_

_a demon disguised as a lady_

_with a beauty never seen_

_some say she crossed the seas_

_running from the beast within_

_with her snow skin_

_devilish red eyes_

_and copper hair_

_you will surely die"_

Hestia's and Fiona's laugh filled the tavern, scandalous, hilarious, contagious. Hestia screamed "I'm going to pee myself!" as she fell to the floor, not being able to contain the tears of laughter that dropped from her cheeks. The girls thought it was just ridiculous, the world's portray of Hestia was bad, but Jaskier was even worse and there was nothing funnier to them than that. 

It took Jaskier almost a year to understand what happened and after they explained to him, it became an inside joke.

Fiona took a while to fall in love with Jaskier, but he was incisive, determined and after a couple of weeks she was sleeping by his side every night.

Oh how many adventures, how many nights of drinking and laughing, in both Novigrad and Velen. They couldn't see each other everyday, but whenever they met was a thrill. Jaskier joked about how Hestia was unable to create a bond with any person on Novigrad, "I mean, will you ever fall in love? Or is it going to be sex until you're old and flacid?" he used to say.

And it was true, Hestia couldn't trust or feel anything for anyone. Maybe the years of being bullied, judged and mistreated did her that, or maybe it was the fact that she was betrayed by the two people she trusted the most, either way, she was fine with only sex, even though she was a bit jealous of Fiona's and Jaskier's love. Many times she would wonder, watching them together, rubbing their noses against each others, dancing so close their bodies seemed one, if she would ever feel that way. Was true love even real? Did it only happen once with the right person? Was Yennefer the one? The only person she was meant to love? Would she ever love again?

The night Fiona told her about Cintra she had no idea on how to react. The cottage at Velen was her safe place, where she could look like herself and use her powers for idiotic reasons such as lighting a fire or making forms of animals for Fiona to be entertained. It was there that Fiona taught her many things, spells, potions, dark and forbidden magic, how to control herself better. How could they just leave home? But Fiona seemed so sure it was the right choice that Hestia just followed along, she would do anything for her, no less Fiona saved Hestia from certain death and she owned nothing less than pure unquestionable love. It was destiny that joined them and Hestia wouldn't play with destiny. 

So they packed and moved the next day, leaving a devastated Jaskier behind. Fiona and Jaskier did have a one last night of sex and love, after one huge fight about her leaving, that was the last time he saw her.

"This is Cintra. Is that right?" Hestia asked, butt hurt from ridding Freya for days and days "please tell me it is, my ass hurts like shit".

"Yes" Fiona responded with a huge smile "South of Transriver and Sodden. This way, here, flows the River Yaruga, flowing into the sea right at Cintra".

Hestia was mesmerized by Cintra, she found it the most beautiful place she'd ever been. The redhead looked like a little girl, passionate about everything, amazed by every side, rock and leave of Cintra, you could see the sparkle in her pupils and the joy of her smile.

For some reason Cintra felt like home, a feeling Hestia had never lived before. However, it was odd, it wasn't just a metaphorical feeling, no, it was a real, established, undeniable feeling of belonging, of warmth, of love. Her body suddenly got warmer and she felt incredibly powerful, filled with life and joy, with calmness and familiarity. She felt energized just by stepping on that ground.

"This is odd" she said, finally arriving at the castle.

"What, sweetie?" Fiona said, as she got down from her horse.

"It feels like home" Hestia stared at the beautiful castle in front of her.

"That's a good thing honey" Fiona added.

"I don't think good is the right word" Hestia got down from the horse "odd fits it better".

The energy she felt before grew stronger as she entered the building and what only brought her awkwardness before was now scaring her a bit. A immense will to cry stroked her soul to the point of filling her eyeballs with sweet tears, but she held them there, as they approached the alter.

They kneel to the presence of the famous Queen Calanthe, who was sitting on the throne. 

"For time immemorial, in the kingdom of Cintra's coat of arms three golden lions on azure have been. They say that under this very emblem the ancestors of Cintrans entered the Yaruga Mouth ages ago and that this very emblem was adopted as the coat of arms by their Chieftain. The House of Ravens–Cerbins used these arms in days of yore and such they are now adayes: Azure, three lions passant Or, onely that since the reign of King Coram II the lions are crowned." a knight said, as Calanthe walked towards the two mages, she stood there for a moment, Hestia staring at the Queen''s shoes, blue with golden.

"Do you swear to be by Cintra's side till the day you die? Forever loyal and trustworthy of my Kingdom?" Calanthe said "because truth be told we are not fans of mages sticking their noses in our arses, our politics, but I want a loyal mage by my side, you understand, right?".

"Of course, my Queen" Fiona said, as Calanthe put some blue herbal paint on Fiona's forehead.

"The same applies to your companion".

"Yes, my queen" Hestia said.

And as Calanthe's finger touched Hestia's forehead with her finger soaked in blue paint, something touched Hestia deep inside, unleashing a wave of uncontrollable emotions, taking her breath away making her feel like she was drowning in her own tears, in a painful cry of lack of understating of what was happening inside of her, before her body collapsed by Calanthe's feet.

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	16. Two Lightnings in One Tree

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The snow was starting to melt and turn into water, nurturing nature, it's flowers, trees, plants, whatever belonged to earth. The warmth hit Geralt's body and made him sweat, as the sun shined bright above him. Before leaving Novigrad Geralt went to a blacksmith and got the armor Letus set up for him. He wasn't focused on hurting the beast anymore, now a beast with a name, a human name and a family, his quest had shifted and he wasn't going to inform Letus at all. Somehow the desperate words of Jaskier had a huge impact in Geralt's thought and now he had bigger problems to solve, being the first of them how the hell Hestia knew he existed to the point of appearing in his dreams and why. But to solve all the mystery and cease Geralt's increasing curiosity and eagerness for the truth, he first had to find Hestia, that was hiding somewhere away from the Continent.

His only lead was to visit King Harry, in Cintra. He'd been there before, over a year ago, when Queen Calanthe was still reigning, but 6 months ago she disappeared without warning, so everyone assumed she had died in the most recent battle against the forces of Nilfgaard that were still trying to get closer and closer to Cintra. Harry, her older son, brother of Pavetta, gladly took his mother's throne, to rule Cintra, while she's "gone".

Geralt always appreciated the beauty of Cintra and especially it's beverages, so much better than anywhere else. He was cautious, since Calanthe made sure that he was not welcome there anymore, since he saved Pavetta's lover life and chose the Law of Surprise as his reward. He could remember like it was yesterday, as he walked away, with Calanthe screaming on how she wished he was dead.

Fate was not something Geralt either believed or was fond of. He thought it was just something people believed in to feel like there was some other to all this mess, to all this bullshit. His mind didn't change at all over the years and every time someone would mention fate or destiny he'd just roll his eyes.

With all that told, Geralt soon arrived to the castle. Jaskier told him to find someone named Serena, a close friend and confident of both Jaskier and Hestia. She was known for being an outstanding clairvoyant, a friend of the Crown and a constant party monster. The bard told him, if Geralt wanted to go unnoticed, he should go to the queen's garden, since Serena was an avid book reader and enjoyed reading under the sunlight, close to the flowers and the welcome loneliness of the garden.

Geralt was able to find his way into the the garden by using his witcher powers to mess with the guards minds, it was a little trick he learned long time ago that always proved to be handy. He walked calmly, trying to not draw any attention, which was hard, thanks to his witcher looks, especially the white hair, but for his luck the garden was empty, only with one person there, who happened to be who he was looking for.

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She was sitting there, reading her book calmly, her hair loose, a long white dress flowing in the wind, not turning around when he proceeded to approach her.

"Took you long enough" Serena said, still gazing at the book.

"Hm?" Geralt grunted, standing right in front of her.

"I saw your arrive here many years ago, but you took longer than I predicted" she closed the book, putting it next to her, on the bench "sit down, we have much to talk" Serena gave a double tap on the wooden bench, with a soft smile.

Geralt didn't say much, he just set down, not knowing exactly what was going on.

"You're a clairvoyant right?" was the only thing he thought to say.

"Yes I am, Geralt" she smiled "Do you believe in destiny? fate?"

"Fate is just something we..." he started to pull off his speech but was quickly interrupted but Serena's voice.

"Tell ourselves to feel better about all the shit that happens in this shitty world, yes yes I know how grumpy you are" she laughed, glancing at the witcher "but destiny hasn't set you aside, it has marked you, hard, it's almost comical, never met someone who was hit by a lightning twice, oh how you were served a hand full of fate when most only get a pinch, you're surely something" Serena stood up, getting a bottle of wine, she poured it into two cups and handed one to Geralt.

She set down again, but now on the wooden table in front of him. She took a drink of the beverage and proceeded to take a deep breath. Her posture was perfect, not a sight of any path crooked on her back. Her body was clean and her hair brushed. She interlaced her fingers and held her hand by her kneecap, looking profoundly at the white wolf's eyes.

"We don't have much time until Harry realizes you're here and send someone to pick you up, don't worry they won't hurt you, he will just try to convince you on taking the job of finding Hestia, he will use the pity lover boy card, but we both know that won't work, but take it easy big boy, you will want to have him as an ally, since a big share of your destiny is here in Cintra" Geralt seemed confused as Serena saw his future happening right in front of him, for most his life Geralt believed that clairvoyants were gold diggers that would tell you exactly what you wanted to hear, things you already knew but needed "destiny" or just the truth told by a so called future watcher to tell, but as the words kept coming out of her mouth Geralt couldn't help to wonder if they were true, and if they were, how much that woman knew about his life.

Serena looked at him with kind eyes, before reaching for his hands, holding it softly. She closed her eyes, rubbing her thumb on his skin, as if she was following the words of a book she was reading. Then her eyes were back to looking at him, with two huge black pupils.

"I love it when I'm right" she smiled "Hestia is in Skellige, I cant tell more about her location because I simply don't know and can't see, I believe she put a spell up that inhibits anyone to see her location, but it won't be a problem for you at all, destiny shall guide your steps that will lead you straight into her warm arms. Don't let greed blind you and don't trust your knowledge of beasts, they won't be useful at all, trust your instinct, it knows what's right. She will be waiting for you, but hurry, many things you have no knowledge of are taking place right now, you are just a pawn in it, soon to be more, but she is both King and Queen on the board".

"Why are you telling me all this? Why would you tell a stranger your friend's location?" He pulled his hands back and quickly stood up.

"You're not a threat, Geralt, you're the future, you are the white she needs to make things turn pink, you're the one to change the course of what's coming, it's a big responsibility, but you have to take it, or else, loved ones will die, innocent lives will be taken and doom will eat us up".

Geralt's mind was racing, trying to process all the information he'd received. Not only did him get important information, he also got riddles and predicaments he did not understand. It was a puzzle, that kept adding new pieces when he thought he was to close to a break through, but every time he talked to anyone remotely related to Hestia it was like starting over, like fate took his puzzle and mixed all of the pieces he put together.

"Now act normal, don't say a word of what I told you to anyone and be as quiet as possible once you meet Harry, not that it would be a problem to you at all, not speaking, since you're pretty much a mute" she laughed, covering it softly it her hand on her down lip "Until our paths meet again, White Wolf" was the last words Serena said, before standing up and walking away.

"Sir, I'll need you to come with me" a guard said, quickly arriving by Geralt's side.  
  


° **°** °

The halls of the castle of Cintra were endless, there were so many paths to take, works of art hanged in blue and golden walls, beautiful shiny chandeliers with diamonds and royal blue candles, a floor as clean as it can be, not a slight of dust to be seen.

Geralt arrived at the Throne Room without saying a word. He stood there, as prince Harry, well now King Harry (temporally to be the truth) pretended to read a book, soon closing it and opening a big smile to the sight of the witcher.

"Geralt of Rivia! What a pleasure to finally meet you!" He got down from the throne and walked towards Geralt, stretching his hand for a hand shake "I've heard such stories about the famous Geralt of Rivia, but the most notable was definitely how you pissed the hell out of mum" Harry laughed out loud, as Geralt finally raised his hand for the handshake "Don't worry, I don't hate you".

"Good to know" Geralt said, taking a look around.

"Let's go talk in my studying room, we will have more privacy there" Harry said with a big smile, his teeth were very aligned, his lips were tiny and pinkish, but yet charming.

He had a bit of a beard growing, very well trimmed. His eyes were cold, even though his entire face seemed to smile at you. His hair was in a dark blonde color, also very well trimmed, but a bit oily. He was a handsome man, but that was not something Geralt cared at all, he lacked any trace of freedom or spontaneity, he was the opposite of what Geralt thought Hestia looked for in a man.

"I'm intrigued by your presence, witcher" Harry said, passing his hands on the bookshelf "you haven't been in Cintra for a while now, what brought you here?" his finger stopped on a specific book, taking it out of the shelf and opening it.

"Just the usual, coin" Geralt tried to keep his words short and lacking any real information.

"We haven't had much complains about monsters around here lately, I'm surprised you found any contract" the King said "This was her favorite book, it still smells like her" he took a deep breath "rosemary" a small smile accompanied his lips "have you ever met someone who smelled like rosemary, Geralt? It is quite marvelous and it just sticks to your skin, your hair, your clothes, like smoke" he closed the book "she loved this tales, about forbidden love, I don't understand why, since our love was nothing quite like this" he pointed at the book "have you ever been in love, Geralt?".

"Why do you ask?" Geralt said, resting against the wall.

"Well, to know if you understand why my heart aches so intensely" The King set down on his wooden table, staring directly at Geralt's eyes "god, those eyes, so unique and scary" he joked and laughed by himself "well, even if you never felt love in your cold lonely witcher heart, you must certainly care for coin, so to save you a trip, I have a contract for you, a good one".

"And why do you think I'd be interested at all".

"Well, isn't witchers must beloved thing coin? So a lot of coin should bring your interest" he smiled, greedy, just like Letus "It's nothing dangerous, after all, I just need you to find the love of my life".

"Isn't that your job? Finding your soulmate?" Geralt joked full of sarcasm.

"Ha, good one" he waved his finger at Geralt "turns out I already found her, but she disappeared and I miss her every single day" he made sure to put emphases on 'every single day'.

"Hm" Geralt grunted.

"Anyway, her name is Sabina, she has beautiful long wavy brown hair and green eyes just like the sight of the most beautiful three, she is gorgeous, you will notice her as soon as you see her" Harry kept facing Geralt, who had no expression what so ever and noticing his speech wasn't helping at all, Harry appealed " _I can still smell her, you know, like burning rosemary. I'll pay you double, fuck it, I'll pay the triple, if you bring_ _her_ _alive, among with land, anything you want, I just need to see her again. She's mine, she...just...doesn't know yet"_ he took a deep breath "not leave, this conversation has made me upset, we'll meet again, as soon as you find her".

Geralt kept his mouth shut, turning his back to walk out of the door.

"Oh and Geralt? Don't disappoint me, I do not enjoy being disappointed at all".  
  


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	17. The Rose of Cintra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to post more often since I'm home and yeah quarantine so I hope you guys enjoy it! we're getting close to Hestia's and Geralt's first encounter so buckle up hahahah thank you to every single one who reads this story, it makes my day <3 anyway hope you guys like it! I'm very insecure so if you can tell me what you're thinking of the story so far <3
> 
> BEFORE READING!: this chapter contains mention of graphic violence, assault, attempt of rape and other things that might be triggering, so please do not read it if it may cause you any harm. Also, this chapter is not needed to follow the story, it's just a kinda short story about the past relationship of Hestia and Harry, so feel free to go to the next chapter. Thank you for the attention <3

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Some people believe in destiny, others think it's bullshit, but for prince Harry there was no doubt love existed, at least at his own way, his way of love was what many called, unique.

It would start with a simple procession, a flirt, that worked very well, thanks to his status and pretty looks. Soon it escalated, to buques of roses and amazing dates in breathtaking locations, usually on that night he would get what he wanted, a human contact, flesh to flesh, to fill his hands with breasts and the taste of a woman. He was known to be a very good lover, but also very needy. He'd fuck and then want to cuddle and he had a very specific thing for sucking breasts, which Hestia later found out was mostly because of his un nurturing mother and bad relationship with her.

Harry was very proud of his conquests, he bragged about how women worshiped him and how he was so handsome no women would ever deny him. But well, the day Hestia arrived he thought she'd be just an easy lay, that he would soon rip her clothes off and consume her vitality with hours and hours of sex, he thought it be easy, just like a lion and a lamb. However the prince couldn't be more wrong, Hestia had a strong personality and wasn't like the others he'd persuaded into his arms, she wasn't easy to approach, much less to flirt. 

She'd always look stunning, like a princess living in his own castle, she was educated and polite, incredibly subtle with her every move, like gravity did not affect her, like she was always floating on air. Soon Harry started to observe her more and more, trying to figure out what she liked, how she wished to be treated. He found out she enjoyed horse ridding and was incredibly good at it, he also found out the hard way she hates water, that one time he threw her on the lake, but he also discovered Hestia was very found of roses.

What once was a glimpse of lust turned quickly into an uncontrollable obsession, as things started to progress between Hestia and prince Harry. He'd enter her room and watch her sleep, without her consent or even knowledge, he'd always be lurking around everywhere she went, he'd buy her expensive gifts and papering her with amazing food and clothes. He started calling her The Rose of Cintra and forgot about everything and everyone else. 

The problem was when it started becoming abusive, as he would give major tantrums when she had to leave to do anything and have rage attacks filled by jealousy whenever he'd see her talking to any other men.

Still, Hestia believed everything was under control, but one certain day, as she hugged a young boy, thanking him for giving her a flower, Harry lost his mind and ordered for the boy to be decapitated. 

Hestia screamed and cried and they took the boy away, the mother of the boy yelling and yelling, reaching for her baby.

She saw as the head of the boy rolled to her feet, completely petrified. 

That night was the night she broke up with Harry, but the man wouldn't take no for an answer and did things love do not endure, do not express, do not represent, because love isn't about possession, it isn't about power and control. Violence isn't love, rape isn't love.

Hestia almost killed Harry that night, as she tried to escape him. She used her spells to make him fly across the room, before the attempt of rape would be completed. 

So she ran and never looked back, leaving a sobbing prince on the floor, begging his princess to come back.  
  
  
  



	18. Written in the Stars

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The shadows that followed Geralt were quickly noticed by the white wolf, since his senses were more refined and heightened than the humans. He could hear the noise of the boots sinking in the wet wooden ground of the dock, he could smell the scent of dirty bodies and cheap Nilfgaardian ale from over a mile away, he could hear their breathing, not in sync.

Geralt had no idea how, but the news of his arrival in Cintra had traveled a long way, so away that somehow reached the Emperor. Which made sense in someway, since the leader of Nilfgaard was in search of Hestia and wanted nothing more than to crush her neck with his own two hands. Maybe he thought that Geralt knew something or was on his way to somewhere important and well, he wasn't wrong at all, but that's something that would never escape Geralt's lips, not even with torture.

He counted six, just by hearing the steps. Two horses also, but further away, sounding heavy, heavy as in a war horse.

Slowly but steady, Geralt reached for his sword in the back, which made the metal sound of all the other swords echo in the harbor.

The White Wolf quickly turned to face his enemies. Six, as he counted before, holding their weapons, staring, focused, at his hand. Geralt's sword was beautiful, it was also ancient, elf and magical, made especially for witchers, when the times were more prosper to his race, he'd gotten it from his dearest friend, also a witcher, Vesemir, since then he took care of it as it was part of his own body, like a limb. 

"Sir, we are here to talk, not hurt you, but we will if necessary" one of them said, the one that was well dressed and didn't smell like dead fish.

"Why the fuck would I trust a Nilfgaardian's word?" he held his sword tighter, maintaining his position.

"Because I don't assume you enjoy death, witcher" the man said with a sarcastic smile "the emperor wants to meet with you, it's an honor, to meet with the conqueror".

"Well tell him my schedule is pretty tight right now, you know, busy agenda, slaying some monsters, some men..." a not so well disguised threat was set, making the Nilfgaardian smile with anger.

"Motherfucker" he said, knowing deep in his guts he was about to fight, because Geralt wouldn't go, not willingly "if you won't go politely, I don't mind taking you by force, I actually enjoy it" the man drew his sword.

"I bet you don't" Geralt said, quickly striking the first blow.  
  


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The sound of the swords crashing into each other, a high pitched noise of metal against metal, scared the living shit of most people on the harbor, making fishermen and local villagers run as fast as they could to safety, which meant far away from Geralt. Geralt's moves were precise, he was a great warrior, not only monster slayer, he knew his way against men, their moves, their weaknesses and their strengths. He knew he was stronger, faster, more powerful than all of them, separated, but combined things were a bit more tricky, giving him a harder, longer, fight. His hands were always steady as his heartbeat was slower than the human heart and his eyes were more attentive, his ears were more alert and his smell was more sensitive. 

Blood was flying everywhere, from cuts in legs to straight blade through the heart. His powers also helped a lot, making people fall to the ground or fly some steps away. Bodies were falling on the ground and the fight started to grow silent. Soon there was only their leader and Geralt. 

Geralt couldn't believe when he was hit, a long cut right in the guts, painful and hard to heal, but he fought back, slicing the Nilfgaardian's arm almost off, which made him scream in utter rage. The second cut was from holding the sword with his bare hand, painful as fuck. Geralt finally succeeded, shoving his sword on the man's chest, making him spit blood, but the man didn't cry, didn't scream or beg for pity, he looked right into Geralt's eyes, opening a big smile, followed by a coughy laugh.

"You just made yourself a very powerful enemy, Geralt of Rivia" the man said, before all his blood drained out, slowly, painfully, but numbed by adrenaline, until the man's body collapsed on the ground.

Geralt grunted, taking his sword out of the dead man's body. He took a deep breath, letting the air out of his mouth. He waved the sword and cleaned in in his leg, then put it back in it's place.

"What a blood bath" a familiar voice said, clapping hands very slowly "I knew you'd make a mess but not this big, kinda annoying that your future is suddenly becoming very blurry for me, I love watching a good play" Serena said, holding her dress, trying to not get any blood in it and walked with grace all the way to Geralt.

"What are you doing here and why did they follow me?" Geralt said, waving his hand, trying to get the blood to stop dripping.

"They know you know something about Hestia, as I told you, things are unfolding faster than expected" she said, pulling him by the arm "now follow me, we need you to get on a boat as quick as possible" her steps were fast but still full of grace, as they walked far away from the mess Geralt made "you're so fucked" she said, looking straight forward.

"Why to you say that? How did you find me?".

"For a man of few words you're definitely making a lot of questions" Serena said, searching for a ship "I saw them coming for you, can't say I'm not impressed you took down one of the most successful Nilfgaard General's".

"Fuck" Geralt grunted.

"You just put a price on your head, Geralt".

"Another one you mean" he buffed and Serena stopped abruptly.

"That's why I told you to be an ally to Cintra" she took a deep breath "do you have any money?".

"not much I-" 

"Don't worry, stay here" she tapped him on the shoulder and walked towards the captain of the ship.

They exchanged a few words, the man seemed bothered with something, but once the gold was on his hands, the deal was on. Serena came back, handing over a brown bag to Geralt.

"Tell Hestia she's not safe anymore, that they aren't safe anymore. Don't talk to anyone, don't get into a fight, once you're in...you know... don't look back, be quiet, be discrete, she will find you, it's written in the stars" she smiled, pointing at the vast dark starry sky above them "also, please tell her I miss her?"

"That sounded so cheesy and fucking ridiculous" Geralt grunted "how the fuck am I suppose to find one disguised woman in the isles?".

"I told you, destiny set everything up already, it's all done, you just need to go there" she slapped Geralt's forehead "and don't you ever talk to me like that again, you will thank me someday".

"Are you sure?" he joked sarcastically and she slapped him again "ouch?".

"I like you Geralt" she grinned "now go" she pushed him away "oh, she pulled him back by his hurt hand "sorry".

"fuck" he waved his hand in pain "what?".

"Follow the rosemary scent".

"There's no way th-".

"Go!" she pushed him once again, so Geralt went, inside the ship, that smelled like piss and fish. He set down, gazing at the universe, kissing the dark blue ocean, watching the wavy distorted reflection of the stars in the sky, thinking on how stupid fate is and how there are no words written in any skies.

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	19. Hello, I've been waiting for you, witcher

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The smell of the sea and the taste of salt in Geralt's mouth went from delightful to obnoxious in just a feel hours. What he didn't realize until finally reaching Skellige seas was that his abdomen wound was starting to get infected. He tried to cure it, clean it, but that wound would only heal with some herbs, some sort of medication not located in that ship. The pain of it wasn't the worse part, it was definitely that he was starting to hallucinate a bit and his stomach was filled with nausea, something he couldn't blame the sea, since he would never que nauseated in ships. Geralt believed the Nilgaardian's sword was poisoned, which just added to the entire disgrace he was deep into. 

Was it really worth it though? Going to all this, to possibly die, just to find this one girl that everyone believed was special? What if she tried to kill him as soon as she sees him? What if she is what Letus said? A cold murder, a monster with no heart, aching for blood, just like a vampire? Oh god what if she was a Higher Vampire? Geralt had a really intense hate and love relationship with those, love as a friend, hated as an enemy, because they only really die if one of their kind slays them.

When he finally fell asleep, after hours and hours of critical and emotional thinking, Geralt dreamed of Hestia once again. She was just there, sitting in front of a fire, passing her hand on the flame while quietly reading a book, pronouncing a few words in Elder, very low, very calmly. Her voice had a velvety tone, it wasn't high pitched, it fit better in a contralto kind of voice and he wondered how she would sound singing. She had a huge red mark from the neck down to her arm and he watched it, since she was wearing a sleeveless pastel pink nightgown. Her bright red eyes traveled on the pages quickly, as she had done it many times before, read countless books. Her feet were small and delicate and her legs seemed soft and tender. Geralt couldn't stand anymore and fell on his knees, right next to her, which quickly attracted Hestia's attention. She didn't have a confused look anymore, now she seemed much worried and intrigued.

"Where are you, witcher?" her voice hit him like a lightning, as her eyes gazed into his.

Geralt held his abdomen, thinking about how the poison was probably making him hallucinate about her once again.

"You have a few hours before dropping dead" she took a deep breath "if you are real at all" Hestia put her book down, crawling closer to him "aep anguis mordere hael marw sana het dh'oine antes oculos claudit" curing words in elder were pronounced, as a green spectrum started to crawl out of Geralt's body traveling all the way into her hand, but before she could finish casting the spell, Geralt woke up, hearing the echo of Hestia yelling something.

"We here, ey" a sailor said, shaking Geralt.

Geralt stood up quickly gathering his things. For some reason he felt his energy a bit better and his wound didn't hurt so much, he took a quick look at it and it wasn't so read and full of puss anymore. 

"Holy fuck" he said, not knowing how to feel about the miracle he had witnessed. 

It was spring in Skellige and Geralt had never been there in such season, the times he visited the Isles were in the deep winter, mostly to visit some friends. It was completely gorgeous, as the mountains still had snow on it, but the temperature was bearable and the fauna was growing beautifully. Although the harbor smelled like fish (a smell that didn't bother Geralt that much since he'd been personally affected by the smell of monster gut) the place was still breathtaking as always, with their Viking style of architecture, living, breathing, etc. 

Skellige was a completely different country, with different Gods and costumes, as they work shipped gods such as Freya, Loki, Thor, Odin and others. Their main trade was based on the ocean and they were known as amazing warriors. There were many villages and farms, but there were also Earls and princesses. It was a very interesting and unique country, very different from places like Novigrad, Blaviken and Velen.

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Geralt roamed for 2 days before even considering giving up. He felt like a fool, running in circles, with every clue leading to no where. His wound started to get worse, as the spell started to worn off.

On that day Geralt set down by a river, he built his little camp there and spent the day searching for herbs that could save him, but nothing helped, not even to numb the pain. He laid by the river, putting his hand in the clear water. His entire body was shivering, even though the temperature was warm. He felt cold, not knowing if it was because of a fever of if death was arriving. He closed his eyes, exhausted, hoping to sleep for a bit, but afraid the sleepiness was death pulling him into the river.

So he shut his eyes, his mind drifted away and there she was, in the middle of pitch black, only with stars lighting up their path to each other. She was running as fast as she could, but it seemed she wasn't moving at all, since the space between them grew larger. Hestia tried to pronounce spells, but no effect happened what so ever, then finally frustration hit her, as she started to glow. Geralt closed his eyes, not being able to look at her, since it was like facing at the sun. He felt weaker and weaker as his body started to heat.

He heard a loud scream and suddenly she wasn't glowing anymore and was now by his side, one hand on his chest the other on his forehead.

"Tell me where you are!" She screamed with tears streaming down her face "TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE".

But he didn't know what to do, how to make her see.

"Let your caos flow so I can see it! Just let me s-" Hestia stopped talking, her eyes turned black and she started grunting, seeming there was no air inside of her lungs, in the end she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, gazing at Geralt's yellowish eyes "I'm coming for you, just don't die, don't you dare die".

And finally the void took in.

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The winter had come and the mountains were covered in a bed of snow. The sun tried it's hardest to shine and let the sunshine glow, but the freezing breeze wouldn't allow any heat to go through. Although the weather was freezing to the bones, the people of Skellige were used to cold winters, what would kill a Cintrian wouldn't even tickle a person of Skellige.

Hestia wasn't born there but it's been so long since she moved to Skellige that it felt like home, even for a person of fire, she dealt very well with the cold. It wasn't her favorite weather, but it was...bearable.

Hestia had moved to Skellige around 5 years ago. Her friend Serena had arranged everything for her, including a meeting with the King. Ragnar was his name and both Fiona and Serena were old friends of the Skellige royal family, which just made Ragnar accept Hestia with open arms, although he thought her name was Sabina. For her sake, Ragnar made her an entire new life, once again she was someone else, from Hestia to Sabina to Singrid. Ragnar didn't question a thing about Hestia's past, he trusted Serena and Fiona with his life and would never deny them a favor. After many years playing someone else she got used to acting, to forgetting her past and tried to live whatever life she was faking. So she became Singrid, a lost cousin of Ragnar's dead brother, which made her Earl of a very far away land, on Hindarsfjall island, the smallest one of the Skellige Isles complex.

Ragnar wouldn't question Singrid on any of her decision, she swore to defend the land he gave her and to be loyal to him and Skellige, so if she was following with her oath, everything was fine. Over the years they grew fond of each other, even though he didn't know the real here. A friendship was born out of lack of knowledge, but it was a true friendship, nights of feasts and the wedding of his daughter and son, fighting side to side on battles, in one occasion where Hestia saved him from certain death. Ragnar did have his suspicions, but he believed she was only a mage, he had no idea of the intensity of Hestia's power. However that didn't scare him, neither made him distrust her, he believed she had her reasons to keep it a secret and if maybe Nilfgaard decided to one day come for Skellige, they'd be safer with a powerful, loyal, mage by their side. 

He also knew she was...different. Hestia would hire the few existent witchers to hunt monster, not to kill them, but to bring them to her home, at least the ones who weren't doing any harm. Ragnar would call her "little witcher" since she'd help all villages with their monster problems, not slaying them, but using magic and her sweet talk to make them leave. On rare occasions she'd kill, but only if she had to. Later she'd cry to her sleep, thinking about the life she took. Airin, Ragnar's daughter, the princess of Skellige, would always try to calm her down, by telling they were just monsters, explaining that we also kill innocent irrational animals to eat, but nothing would calm her down.

That's why Skellige was known for having so little monster problems. It was a very independent, unique country, that made sure to stay away from the rest of the continent and it's problems.

She missed Fiona, of course, but not so much as one day she did, since she decided to take a potion any time she'd remember too much about her past, which would made her mind stop racing and sleep reign. 

Hestia made of her small castle and fort a home for the unwanted. Vampires of all kinds, cursed ones, mutants, beasts, dragons, elementas, hybrids, ogroids, people with magic in them, poor people, woman divorced, abandoned babies, if they were unwanted and willing to thrive, to become better, to be peaceful instead of dangerous, she was there for them, with a place to live. 

Many people of Skellige did not like Hestia, much less her "monsters deserve to live" initiative, they'd often come to Ragnar complaining, but he'd say "it's her land, she does what she wants". Other times they's just cold murder anything they knew she protected, just to show their power, to provoke her.

When it came to hiding, Skellige was so much easier, many people there were redheads, blonds, with really white skin, so she's only had to hide her eyes, something she learned how to do over the years, using potions, spells and the rest of her paint womb, it wouldn't last forever, but it lasted through out the day, which was enough for her. 

She got so confident with her way of living, of hiding, to the point that she stopped worrying about Letus, she remembered how powerful he was and the tortures she endured, but now she knew how to control her powers, she became an incredibly powerful mage, one of the bests, she believed. 

Yes, she'd think about Tissaia, how proud she'd be of her, but Hestia couldn't forget how she just let them take her without a fight and that was unforgivable. Hestia had asked once for one of her friends, Katarina, a Higher Vampire that with the help of Hestia, stopped drinking human blood, to go and find Tissaia and report any information on her, but the day Katarina arrived back in Skellige, Hestia burned the report with her own hand. 

Yennefer was always on her mind too, where was she? how was she? Did she miss her? Did she remember her? Had she moved on without a care? She hoped she was dead, but ended up finding out she deserted and went full rogue after three decades of serving Kings and now she had no idea of Yennefer's where about. 

There was not much time for love or romance, Hestia was a very busy woman, trying to take care of her people, even though they weren't as many as the other isles, she was proud of the way of living she provided for her people. 

But everything changed when she finally found Geralt, passed out on the floor, his mouth full of foam, his eyes lifeless and the slowest heartbeat she had ever witnessed. Saving him was the hardest part, it was something close to practicing resuscitation, a very difficult type of magic even for the most powerful mages. Yet, her will to save him prevailed and she was able to get him out of the woods. His blood smelled different, his skin felt human and his eyes yelled mutant, just like hers. He was incredibly handsome, at least that's how she saw him, completely mesmerized by his complexion, his defined nose, him thin mouth, his catlike eyes, his defined jaw, his thick eyebrows and especially his white snow hair, which at that point was covered in dirt and dry blood. He was huge, built like a mountain, unbelievably strong, as she never seen before and he wasn't the first witcher she'd met. He was unique, different from all man she met and that thought stuck with her, even not having exchanged one word with him. 

There was something about him, a stronger power that draw her to him, as if they's known each other their entire lives, as if they played together as kid, grown together, seen each other fully and yet, they had never met. It was the strongest bond Hestia had ever feel to anyone, bigger than Tissaia and Yennefer and even Fiona, it could only come close to the feeling she had the day she stepped on Cintra, a reason she only understood years later. 

She cried, without even realizing, when she held his hand, speaking words in Elder, trying to bring him back to life. He couldn't die, no! He couldn't die before she understood why she was feeling that way, he wouldn't dare to leave her before finally meeting her, how could he? After she finally felt complete, there was no way she'd let that part of her drift away.

But **he** ** _didn't_** **wake up** what so ever, **not for over** ** _an entire year_**.

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** ** ** 1262 **

It was so subtle but yet so delightful . _That scent_ , that warmhearted smell that had been following Geralt for so long was now, _real_. For a moment he believed to be under some spell, intoxicated by some poisonous potion that somehow found his way into his veins, leaving his knees weak and his heart rate incredibly rapid, something unusual for a witcher, whose heartbeat is slow as a turtle. His hands felt numb, as if his blood had rushed somewhere else, that he wished not to be his heart, but it was, as clear as the day, with no clouds, no drops of rain, no cold freezing breeze. His cheeks were warm as the sunlight on a morning day, his mouth was as dry as the desert and his eyes made him believe he was delusional. 

Her expression wasn't of confusion or fear or rage, which surprise both Geralt and Hestia. Her complexion showed nothing more pure than relief. She didn't know why, she had no idea why she hadn't burned the man to the ground, a killer, a beast killer, a _goddamn witcher_ was standing right in front of her and for some reason she decided to _save_ a _fucking monster killer_ , but Hestia couldn't even move, much less feel that impulse that made her engage in whatever decision she was going to make. Because she wasn't moved by decisions any more, fate was getting it's way easier than it thought, as her legs started to move, slowly but steady, closer to the man of white hair and silver sword.

Finally all the tales, poems and ballads made sense, about finding what you are meant to be, who you're meant to find, about destiny doing it's deed, of how one look can change everything.

"Hello, I've been waiting for you, _witcher_ ".

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	20. Here's your Destiny

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She was truly breathtaking. With her long copper hair, wrapped around in long waves all the way to her waist, with a small braid using only the top of her hair, her now dark red eyes, the color of fresh dripping blood, which for many would be terrifying, gave Geralt the opposite feeling, of warm and safeness. Her defined juicy lips, with the upper lip almost in the shape of a heart, that lingered a sweet, caring, but small smile, painted with deep crimson lipstick, her pinkish cheeks and small, apart little freckles. The way her red mark flow from her lobe all the way to her fingertips, in a tone of dark red, blended with parts of whiteness and rosé, giving more texture to what at distant appeared as just one big mark of crimson. She was wearing a tight dress in a tone of wine, with a golden belt in the shape of leaves, that made her both stunning and sexy.

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She was sitting in a thick wooden table in front of him, her legs crossed as the fabric dripped gently on her thighs, her feet embraced by a golden sandal, with the nails free of color, however looking taken care of, her arms leaning on each side of her, as she passed her fingers in the timber. He also noticed Hestia's left foot had some red marks, as if a painter splashed some red paint on her toes, little stars shinning on her ankle.

"Hi" she said, finally taking Geralt out of his enchantment.

"Hi" he replied, still gazing at her, clearly confused as his mind was still stuck absorbing what was standing right in front of him.

"We have a lot to talk about, yet, I have no idea on how to start" she took a deep breath, as a small smoke of coldness slipped through her lips, with Hestia tilting her head to the right "well I guess I should start with the fact that you've been passed out looking like a dead person for over a year, actually I think you were about to hit the two year mark, I lost count after a while, I'm not the best with that, counting" she tried to sound comforting but had no idea of how to do so, since she never had to tell anyone they've been dead asleep for that long, so she tried to make a little joke, having no idea at all of what she was doing, barely understanding and passing any confidence at what she was saying "Forgive me if that sounded too...to the point maybe? I don't know, it's the first time I tell someone such things happened and it's also the first time I talk to...you" they both knew how that 'you' sounded, making Hestia extremely uncomfortable, so she faked a cough and opened a shy smile "you might experience some sickness, such as nausea and a odd tingling on the head, however that's because of the spells starting to wore off, spells to keep you alive".

"fuck" he grunted, feeling his muscles weak and anger from letting a fucking nilfgaardian put him into such deep shit, he really had such tingling in the head, as nausea started to fill his empty stomach "a year you say?".

"Something close to that, yes" Hestia breathing started to go faster and anxiety sunk in, with her nails scratching on the table, trying to get small splinters of wood out, as a form of relieving the extreme tension that her body was in "Do you have any questions?" his quietness started to bother her "anything I can get you?".

"Why are you being nice to me? You know why I'm here" he replied, sounding rude, not being his intention though, scratching his head. She tried to read him, but his expression kept the same, as a book without words.

"I can be an asshole if you want, but I don't think you'd like that at all, because I can easily be the fucking worse" she smiled sarcastic but also trying to sound funny, yet a bit annoyed by Geralt's way "So you're here to kill me, right?".

"Hm" he grunted, which for her meant nothing at all. Hestia felt if she heard him grunt one more time she might go insane.

"I could have killed you" she stood up, putting all her posture and grace on, using a stronger tone.

"But you didn't" he took a deep teasing breath "why so?" his eyes gazing at her in a defying way, provoking her. Geralt knew she wouldn't do anything, she would already have done it, she had an entire year to do so.

"I really thought you wouldn't be such an asshole, since I saved your fucking life" she rolled her eyes "Not to sound arrogant, but a thank you might be nice? Anyway, I know you're not going to kill me, so go take a bath, you do stink" she turned her back, to walk out, but he interrupted her before she could hold the door handle.

"This is not the first time I've heard this".

"What?" she turned around.

"That I stink".

"Then maybe you should stop stinking?" she raised her eyebrow, confused "put some perfume on, take some regular baths I don't know" she joked.

For some reason that made Geralt giggle, she sounded so innocent and spoiled at that moment, even though he knew she wasn't so, maybe the years in a castle made she turn into a spoiled little...wait, he had no idea of what she was or what happened the past year. He was a witcher, he did people's dirty unwanted work, he killed beasts, got filthy in their blood and guts, he had to ride to lands far away, fight, get covered in sweat, he had no home, especially after the fall of Kaer Marhen, so how could he keep clean at all?.

"What's so funny, witcher?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"nothing" he tried to stop laughing and eventually did.

"Fine" she turned her back to walk out again.

"Wait" Geralt yelled in his low tone "what happened the past year?" as nausea sunk in deep.

"Take a bath and we'll talk, you need it".

° **°** ° 

° **°** °

One year. Geralt couldn't stop thinking about it. How could he have been out for an entire year? He had no idea how to feel about it, but he was curious, how did he stay alive for an entire year asleep? Was he that fucked up? For his luck witchers bodies healed way faster, so he wasn't as fucked up as a human would be for example, he felt his strength growing back, his calmness and his powers. However his mind was still fuzzy, he felt there were memories of the past year just hiding somewhere deep in his mind, that if he tried hard enough, he might remember. There was also the curiosity with the world, what had changed? How was Jaskier and how was Yennefer? Did Letus think he was dead? Was he revengeful? And how was Cintra?

The bath was hot and relaxing, since the start of his journey Geralt didn't have a chance to relax like this, so he enjoyed every bit of it, especially because he knew there was a long conversation ahead and he would need his full strength to make decisions and understand everything. He got out of the tub, the water dripping from his muscles and hair, he dried himself with a towel, everything was set and ready for him, which was pretty odd for a witcher. 

There were new clothes sitting inside a wooden closet, shoes, blouses and even pijamas. He chose the one he thought suited best, an entire black with grey details outfit, it wasn't an armor, just a simple royal outfit. He felt weird in it, the fabric was too good and the pieces way too comfortable, he would never be able to afford them. With his wolf medallion hanging from his neck, Geralt got out of the room, to face a huge palace, decorated in tones of gold and red.

"Sir Rivia?" an elegant man said, wearing a grey and red piece of clothing "follow me please".

Having someone call him 'Sir' and treat him so well was incredibly awkward for a witcher, usually seen as mutants, not worthy of love or care, just disrespect and to do some human dirty work, but everything was different and the smell of monster was so intense it made Geralt want to have some silver with him.

Geralt followed the man, keeping his senses high, prepared for any attack, but all the monster seemed to completely ignore him, well there were a couple ones that looked at him with anger, but that was understandable since witchers are paid to kill their race, even with that, not one tried to harm him at all, the humans and monsters lived in peace and Geralt was having a hard time understanding how.

They finally arrived at the dinning room and a feast was set on the table, but Hestia was no where to be found. There were two other people in the room, a man and a woman, she was human, that Geralt was sure, but the man seemed different.

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"Yes he's a Higher Vampire, what are you going to do, kill him?" The woman rolled her eyes "I can't believe she still let you live" she pointed her finger at Geralt "of all people she could have a bond, it had do be a monster slayer, fucking destiny being an asshole to her again" the woman took a long drink of her cup "of all the men she has fallen for, all of them, falling for her assassin is just the most outrageous thing, very ballad like".

"Honey, calm down, she said he's not going to try anything" he rested his hand on the woman's back "sorry for my wife, she has a bit of a problem with your kind".

"Why? She's human, _wait_ , that does answer it" he smiled sarcastically "but doesn't answer why she's with a vampire".

"Things are a bit different around here, I guess you already noticed" the man smiled "we've been anxious to meet you, especially Hestia, ops, I mean, Singrid, but I guess you already know that".

"How would I know that?".

"Well she's been taking care of your for a long time, don't you feel the love?".

"Love?" he huffed.

"Well I can see you already met Baldric and Yohanna" Hestia's voice filled the room, so did her smell that immediately made Geralt close his eyes and drift into his thoughts, quickly coming back with the sound of the chair being pulled for Hestia to sit "I bet you're starving!" she said with a tender smile "well let's eat for fucks sake" Hestia filled her mouth with a chicken leg and everyone followed along.

Geralt ate everything so quickly he felt like throwing up, but his hunger seemed to have no end, he guessed that's what happens when you don't eat for a year.

"I casted a spell for you to feel no hunger, no needs at all, then some others to keep you alive" Hestia said, licking her fingers, gazing into Geral'ts eyes "but there's nothing better than the taste of good food".

Geralt said nothing, he just looked at her, as her smile faded away and guilt start to tingle inside of him.

"Are you always an asshole or just to beasts?" Yohanna couldn't contain herself "I'm sorry Hesty, but I can't stand rudeness, not after everything you did for him".

"Everything you did for me?" Geralt said, with his mouth still full of food.

"Yohanna please stop talking" Hestia closed her eyes, trying to remain calm "I love you but you have no saying in this, it's not about you".

"It's not about me but it is about you and that's enough for me to care" Yohanna stood up, Baldric tried to hold her hand, but she pulled away "What the fuck are you even doing here? If you're going to try to fucking slay her then just do it already so I can chop your head off".

"Honey calm-".

"Don't even start, Dric" Yohanna took her glass "don't tell me I didn't warn you, you owe him nothing, not even fate can make you owe him shit, good night" and so she turned and walked away.

"I'm sorry about that, it's the hormones you, know, it was nice to meet you" Baldric then ran away, to try and catch his wife.

"Hormones?" Geralt asked, grabbing a napkin.

"She's pregnant" Hestia said, gazing into nothingness. 

Hestia went absent, gazing into nowhere, into nothingness, with the thoughts rumbling up and at the same time thinking of nothing. She held the glass of wine tight, feeling a rush inside of her, as memories crawled back into her brain. Yohanna was the closest Hestia ever got to a friendship like Fiona and sometimes, when she felt the warmth of Yohanna, when she noticed how much she cared, she could see Fiona's face in Yohanna's body, bringing memories of darker times.

"I didn't know she was...I didn't mean to disturb a pregnant woman" Geralt felt guilty, pregnant woman were sacred to him.

"Listen to me Geralt" she finally looked him in the eyes "this place is different from everywhere you've been and could ever think of, here we respect and protect the odd ones, the unwanted, the cursed and persecuted, all kinds of beasts and monsters willing to be better, to not hurt humans, if they can keep with my rules, then they are safe and if you even dream of hurting any of them I will explode you from the inside out, understood?".

"I don't kill beasts unless they do any harm, Hestia" Geralt said, cleaning his hands on the napkin "that's what happens when you take conclusions without having enough knowledge".

"Good" the way he pronounced her name made Hestia shiver and she had to try the hardest just to maintain her posture "we have a lot to talk, but for now I'm exhausted and I bet you're too" she stood up and turned back "rest, witcher, you have so much to hear and learn" Hestia took a couple steps further, but was stopped by Geralt's hand, holding her wrist as gentle as he could.

"Hestia" he said, standing behind her, so close she could hear him breathing.

"Yes?" she turned only her face, gazing into his eyes, that were locked in hers.

"I don't know why I'm here, but it's not to hurt you, not anymore" Geralt hated feeling that way, he felt cursed to even care for her, many believe witchers have no feelings, but they couldn't be more wrong, they just hide it so well it comes by unnoticed, they know better, not to get hurt, to always put themselves first, but Geralt had a heart, a gentle, sweet, caring heart and anyone close enough could see it as clear as water. 

"Don't you feel it Geralt? Fate has called you to my doorsteps, I just don't know why yet, but we will find out, wanting it or not". 

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	21. The Lion fell in Love with the Lamb

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The night was cold, but the bed was warm and Geralt slept like a baby in his own room, made specially for him, by Hestia. The room was made of a dark tone of grey stones, it had a huge fireplace and candles in most places, to light up the night. His swords were positioned in a display made for swords, his armor in another display. The sheets were incredibly soft, definitely from some far away place, such as Toussaint and the covers were thick, made of animal fur, very efficient in bringing the warmth and protecting from the freezing cold. The room had only painting, of a red dragon flying over some hills. There were also books, of tales about destiny and encountering it. However, Geralt's mind was lacking space to absorve details, too busy trying to process all that was happening. 

He still couldn't understand why Hestia was being so nice to him and then out of the sudden, so distant, he knew he wasn't helping at all, but that didn't stop if from being confusing. It was hard for Geralt to react to someone being nice to him, it didn't happen often enough for him to know what to say, what to do and to make things worse, she was the reason he went to Skellige, why? That was a question with no answer yet. So how was he supposed to act around the reason he traveled so far? How should he be around her? He could barely interpret what he was feeling around her, much less what do to regards it.

Geralt thought about the other night and the words Hestia said, he didn't believe in fate, so why was he there? Why did he go through all that trouble, to almost die and lose an entire year of his life just to see her face to face? Could it be destiny really existed? And if it did, why would he be bonded to her at all?

When Geralt woke up the sun was about to rise, he heard his name being called and when he opened his eyes, there she was, sitting in the open window. It was a unique view, that Geralt believed for a second it was a dream. She looked like an angel, the white glowing behind her, passing through some small strands of her copper hair. The white skin, a bit pink on the shoulders and under her eyes, her cheeks and her nose. For him, she looked like a goddess, the goddess of fire. 

"how blessed" he thought. 

The wind freezing hitting on her back, as her hair flew all around and so did her dress, showing off her legs. He gazed at her body for a moment, finally looking at her eyes, as the sun in a cold light stroke her complexion and once again, she looked just gorgeous.

"Good morning" she said "I hope you don't mind, I got used to sleeping in this room, I don't know if you are aware but keeping someone alive with spells for that long demands a lot of time and...surveillance" she crossed her legs, resting her hands on her knees with such grace it mesmerized him.

"you've been watching me sleep for a year?" he chuckled a little, sitting down, shirtless.

"Oh god no, that's boring!" she giggled, taking a quick look at his chest, so full of scars, so many untold stories on those poorly healed wounds "I just stood on that chair" she pointed to a chair next to him "and read so many books you'd be surprised".

"Well I'm glad because the entire watching thing is sort of creepy" he said, trying to be warmer and it was starting to become involuntary, being nice to her, why? he did not know.

"your hair looks a mess, let me comb it for you" Hestia stood up, walking towards him, she set down behind him, stroking his back softly.

With a comb on her hand, Hestia calmly brushed through Geralt's grey hair, she opened a drawer, picking up a small vial filled with an oil and applying in Geralt's hair.

"What is that?" he asked, turning his face back, but Hestia held his face, making he look fowards again "it smells like...".

"Rosemary" she interrupted him "my special mix, been using it for decades now" she took a deep breath "many people would say I always smelled like that, so I just...enhanced it, people seem to like it and so do I" Hestia slipped her fingers from the top of Geralt's head down his spine "it has some oils that help with the hair, to strengthen it, to give it more a shine and softness, something I bet your hair craves for god knows how long".

"I can't see how having a strengthened, shiny smooth hair is gonna help me with anything" Geralt said.

"it helps if anyone wants to pass their finger through your hair, see?" Hestia demonstrated, slipping her finger on what now was a untangled hair, passing her hand with strands of his hair on her fingers from the top of his shoulder to half of his arm, the length of Geralt's hair. Her breathing was on his neck, making him shiver "I believe we started off wrong, I personally blame you but I believe you can recover from that" she joked "so, let's reset, shall we?".

"maybe we can share the blame" he said.

"I'll put a pin on that" she picked up another strand of his hair " so tell me witcher, what is it like to not have a home? A warm bed to call yours? Someone to go back to everyday?" she said, almost in an whisper, resting her chin gently on his shoulder.

"You answer me that" he slightly turned his face, getting their noses to almost touch and for a moment they just gazed into each others eyes "your eyes are so...".

"Scary?" Hestia smiled with a drop of sadness lingering on the edge of her smile "I have a home now, a bed to call mine, it took me a while but I did find my way after all, not someone to go back to, though, not that it is a priority".

"they're not scary, do you think mine are?".

"no, they're stunning, like liquid gold flowing around a stripped black hole" their noses were almost touching, as he breathed out and she breathed him in. The golden and the ruby, so close you could feel the tension being established, burning, melting, wet, hot, glowing incandescent.

"My Earl" a woman entered the room, looking away quickly. She was clearly cursed, having feathers all over her body, with her eyes closed she said "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem in Aardmore".

"What is the problem?" Hestia said, still resting her chin in Geralt's shoulder.

"A griffin, my lady, it's killed two horses and a child".

"I told you they are not rational, they can't be controlled" Geralt said, coming back to more of a defensive tone.

"Fuck" Hestia stood up, walking away as fast as she arrived, soon she disappeared into the hall, leaving Geralt alone. 

The White Wolf quickly changed his clothes, putting on his armor and his rusty not ground silver sword, pronouncing a loud fuck before leaving his room. His steps were quick and heavy, as he tried to figure out the exit door, especially the stable. He heard loud noises and a whinny from a horse, so he ran as fast as he could, to find it's way to the beast. He went through the kitchen, scaring everyone that was either working or eating, making a mess, with plates falling to the ground, making a loud splash as the expensive pottery turned useless and mixed with the leftover food, drinks crashing on the floor with either wine or juice. He finally got out of the door, being surprised by the deep cold that made a thermal shock in all his muscles. Geralt used a spell that built a temporary shield of protection that would keep him from such cold, also known as Quen. The sun was shinning bright, which both helped and made it worse to see, since it lightened the sight but also reflected on the snow, that was all the way to their knees.

And there she was, on the top of a horse, with her hair in a messy ponytail, made quickly, in a stunning black armor, with silver details and dark red boot, on her back only one sword and a bag full of potions Geralt did not know. She took one look at Geralt, knowing he was probably going to try to kill the griffin, so with her left hand, Hestia made a path of fire, burning in front of him.

"Fuck" Geralt said, as he took impulse to jump through the fire and chase the woman that was already ahead of him. 

Hestia raced as fast as she could with Freya at full speed, as Geralt hoped on the first horse he saw and tried his best to catch up with the Earl. They raced, intensely, as their horses lifted snow behind them and as cold smoke from heavy breathing got out of their horses noses and their not so human mouth. Geralt didn't know the path, so he couldn't take shortcuts, he couldn't win, just follow the track of Hestia's horse. Hestia's hair could be seen from afar, those scarlet strands of hair flying all around, as a perfect thread to follow and also a beautiful contrast from the white snow.

° **°** °

° **°** °

Geralt heard the loud noise of the Griffin yelling, so high pitched it hurt his ears. In front of him, already in the village, Hestia jumped with her horse still running, landing perfectly on the floor. She took a potion from her bag and drank quickly, throwing the vial far away. Hestia got on her knees, taking her gloves off and shoving them in the snow. Her eyes were closed and her head up, as if she looked to the sky. As she spoke words in Elder the Griffin started to fly closer and closer, seeming to go and pick her up like an eagle picking a rat. 

The witcher didn't think twice, he ran as fast as he could, throwing himself at Hestia, picking her by the waist before the griffin could. Her body was against the snow, her hair like fire melting the snow, getting her hair wet in the middle of that mess. Geralt gazed into Hestia's eyes, watching as the ruby melted into lava and while still looking at him, an immense power flew off her hands, as a magnetic wave protect them, since the griffin was still charging on them and making the beast fall into the ground, a couple feet away from them. She did the same to him, that flew all the other away from the griffin.

"FUCK" he yelled pissed feeling his back sore from the fall.

Geralt looked up and there she was once again, running towards the beast. 

"What the fuck is wrong with this girl?" he thought "does she have a fucking death wish?".

She had no sword in hand and looked completely insane, just running to her death, almost as she wished to die right there right now. A fog came out of her hand, covering the griffins face, as she yelled words in elder. Geralt ran once again, now with his sword in hand, the silver shinning as the sun reflected in the snow. The beast seemed to be calming down, but something inside Geralt made him not stop.

He _had_ to protect her, no matter what, at _all costs_. The feeling was so unique, something that he never felt before, an urge to take care, to hold in his arms what for a moment he believed was his reason to live.

 ** _A reason to live_** , he finally had one, what he was searching for without even noticing that's what he needed. A purpose, a stronger force, exploding inside of him, commanding his every step, to save what felt to be a part of him own.

"NO" Hestia yelled, running so fast her breath was taken away. She seemed to float on top of the snow, which helped her move much quicker, getting to Geralt before he could finish swinging his sword towards the beast.

Their fight seemed like a dance, a dance they did before, full of jumps and twists, of touches and yells, of pulls and pushes, as their two personalities crashed one against the other.

The snow felt so cold and she felt so warm, he could hide in her embrace for days just to keep the cold away. She was on top of him, his back touching the cold snow. Her eyes were shut so tight little wrinkles appeared around them. Hestia's arms were wrapped around Geralt's waist so narrow it felt as they were one. His arms were up, with his sword pointing at the griffin flying over them, his eyes locked on where the beast heart was, but as the beast dove one more time against them, nothing happened. Although Geralt was sure of their death, an almost invisible shield, only visible when the sun shined on it, protected them.

Her voice was so delicate, so heart warm and confident. Always in elder, always so concentrated and _incisive_. Right next to his ear, so close he could feel her lips moving, just a bit wet and soft, he could almost feel the lines, the paths, the rivers on her lips. So a calmness took in, soon he didn't feel so alert, almost as the adrenaline was being sucked out of him just by words and of course, her touch. Then suddenly she stopped pronouncing the same elder words and the dome of protection faded into little pieces, like sparkly dust.

The sky that was once clean, with no clouds, became grey, as a storm gathered on top of them. The sky turned into a sea of clouds that poured down salty rain, making the griffin fly away and the snow to melt. 

Their bodies were soaked and the words on Geralt's ear _stopped_. Everything went silent, beside the sound of thunders and heavy rain. The cold would be unbearable, but she was so warm it didn't feel so...dangerous. It didn't take long for Hestia's body to go from warm to a just a bit higher temperature. Geralt looked at her, worried, since the words stopped and her embrace got weaker. 

Her body was weak and mushy. He could move her and she wouldn't do anything.

The rain was so heavy it was hard to see two steps ahead. The blood streaming down her nose was non stop, blending with the water running down Geralt's clothes.

Lifting her was _as easy as lifting a feather_ , what was scary was the possibility of losing her, that terrified the living shit out of him. And it was also easy to ride Freya, so easy if felt as if was roach, as they put an effort together, to get Hestia to safety.

° **°** °


	22. Her Sweet Kiss

° **°** °

_A storm raging on the horizon_   
_Of longing, and heartache, and lust_   
_She's always bad news_   
_It's always lose-lose_   
_So, tell me, love, tell me, love_   
_How is that just?_

° **°** °

The windows were closed, suppressing the cold from coming in. There was a fireplace in front of the bed, it's flames danced around, forming shadows that a kid would much enjoy, trying to figure out what each one looked like. There was a beautiful painting hanging just above the fireplace, it was the castle of Skellige in the winter, the snows flakes technique was really good, everything seemed really close to reality, showing that the painter knew it's craft.

There were bookshelves full with the most different stories, recipes, spells and forbidden magic, they had no dust in it, the pages smelled like rosemary, very softly, almost unnoticeable for a non witcher. On the ground an outstanding piece of tapestry incredibly similar to the one in the house in Velen that Geralt had gone a while back, it was also surprisingly clean. There were curtains in a icy tone covering all the multiple windows and the door to a balcony, they looked like there were little snowflakes in them and when the sun came through, it all sparkled. Geralt thought "what an stupid curtain, it doesn't stop the sun". 

The walls were made of light grey stones, there was an immersive chandelier lit by candles on the center of the room, between the bed and the tapestry, it's light was beautiful and reminded the sky at night. A table with a deck of gwent, a card game famous all over the Continent and a book on the game rules, an unfinished crochet of something that looked like a small baby clothe and a black leather notebook full of notes, what to buy, what to solve, improvements to the villages and the castle, the name of all of the maids and so many other things. 

Her drawings were beautiful, pages and pages in a sketchbook and also all around the place, there were regular ones (when it comes to theme not art) of animals and people around her, one fitted the description Jaskier gave of Fiona, one of Serena and even one of Jaskier, there was one of Pavetta, that one surprised Geralt and a baby girl of white hair and big cheeks, "does she have a kid?" Geralt thought. There were really old ones, not as good as the new ones though, with the borders folded and marks of wine, they were mostly of Velen and animals, there were also many of Fiona, Fiona and Jaskier, Novigrad. There were letters on the ground, letter he did not read, believing it would be unkind and extremely impolite, Geralt would never invade her personal space, well, at least not _that_ much.

The bed was enormous with Hestia's body sunk in the middle of it, with many pillows and covers that you knew were expensive just from looking. Her hair was messy and spread all over the bed, looking like a drawing of the sun, those ruby sunshine strands that even going through all hell still looked silky as fuck, which for some reason both bothered and fascinated Geralt. She was very clean though, Yohanna made sure to make Hestia still look like an expensive porcelain, with not a drop of sweat or dirt on her, whenever Yohanna would come in, a ugly stare would hit Geralt, that was sitting in Hestia's reading chair since they arrived over six hours before. He just ignore it, not even acknowledging Yohanna's presence, but feeling her gaze strike like a lightning. How could he blame her though? He was asleep for a year, he was a known witcher (and everyone knows what witchers do for a living), then all of the sudden he woke up and made a huge mess and almost got Hestia killed on his second day back from the dead. 

Geralt was about to fall asleep, resting in the surprisingly comfortable reading chair Hestia owned, when a low achy moan slipped through the redheaded lips. The healer told them she was going to be out for a while, as a consequence of using so much of her power to the point of sucking all of her stamina out of her body and it would take a couple of hours to at least regain her consciousness. Hestia set down slowly, rubbing both hands against her face, while letting loud noises of discomfort and frustration out of her mouth. Her eyes looked tired and had small black circles on the bags of her eyes. When she finally opened her eyes, a loud scream came out of her mouth, clearly scared by waking up to someone facing her.

"ah fuck" she grunted, adjusting the silk dress that fell out of her shoulder "what the fuck are you doing you...g-griffin motherfucking killer" she said trying to form a sentence that sounded like a threat but ended up sounding child like. She was so exhausted, with no will or strength to portray herself as an Earl, with grace and politeness, which Geralt enjoyed quite a bit, finally seen her out of the "lady" act.

"So good to wake up to someone staring at you right?" he joked, sarcastic, with a small smile on his lips.

"Oh so you _can_ smile" she said, provoking Geralt "good to know you have a SOUL" Hestia took the covers off of her and put both her feet on the ground "griffin killer, monster slayer" she said with a deep voice.

"I didn't kill it, don't you remember?" he questioned, still sitting down, just gazing at her.

"I just remember trying to stop you from cold MURDER" she gave him an angry stare "did you notice it was a she? maybe she has babies and it's just trying to protect them" Hestia finally stood up "or maybe she was just trying to survive, because, you know, life is fucking hard for monsters if you don't recall".

"at least you remember what happened for the past YEAR or so" he gave her an sarcastic smile, starting to feel a tingle of anger inside of him "when are you going to tell me what the fuck happened and what is going on in the world right now because I simply can't recall! I was ASLEEP FOR A YEAR" Geralt finally stood up, standing on the redhead's way, but she just ignored him, bumping on purpose to get to her closet.

"It's not my fucking fault you decided to fight with someone who knew it's way with fucking poison and then instead of just taking a fucking potion to clean your body off the toxins you decided to GET ON A BOAT WITH NO HELP AT ALL AND PASS OUT IN SKELLIGE" she turned to face him while screaming 'pass out in Skellige'. "not my fault you're a crappy warrior".

"crappy war- " he was so offended "I didn't CHOSE to get poisoned and neither to almost fucking DIE" he started to lose his temper, their relationship was going to start off like this? with her making him lose his fucking mind? "I had important business to attend in Skellige I couldn't just fucking go to the woods in the middle of the night and get some fucking herbs to heal myself okay princess? The world is fucked up as you said and different from you I don't have maids set and ready to do everything for me".

"PRINCESS? HA" a huff "what important business ruh?" she put both her hands on her hips "to FUCKING KILL ME YOU COIN DIGGER?" she yelled, also losing her temper "I'm doing good work here okay? taking care of people and faking an entire life while tried to prevent people to kill innocent motherfucking magical beings OKAY? While having to deal with an arrogant" she lifted one finger up "insane" another finger "heartless" the last finger "witcher being a PAIN IN THE ASS".

"Innocent? you call that griffin INNOCENT?" he yelled "it's an animal Hestia, they procreate, they fly and they kill to eat, is very simple, they are DANGEROUS! IT'S THE CIRCLE OF LIFE" Geralt just couldn't believe how stubborn she was, how couldn't she see that they were both in great danger?

"Isn't that EXACTLY what humans DO to live?" she said, cynic "but what I really want to know, what I'm really really REALLY intrigued is why haven't you _killed_ _me_ yet? Didn't Letus promise you a shit load of coin to do his dirty work? Or was it to just fucking torment me? Maybe abduct me to do some more of what he calls experiments and I call fucking torture" she yelled the last word so loud he could hear the hurt on her voice and it was devastating "is he paying you to be a pain in the ass to me or are you just naturally an asshole? Is it a witcher thing? Being a dickhead?".

"Why haven't YOU killed me?" Hestia had turned his back to Geralt, signalizing she wanted to do no more talking, hear no more "you had an entire year to kill but you didn't, why Hestia?" she kept walking away and Geralt walked right behind her. Geralt turned Hestia to face him, he couldn't take her running away anymore, there were so many questions, so many things he needed to know, to comprehend, so he could feel less empty, less confused, less...scared "why... _didn't you_?" the room suddenly went quiet, Geralt's and Hestia breathing were the only sound there, heavy, wet, hot, as the fire on their side lit their faces, so close to one another, their noses almost touching, their lips so close they could smell their breaths. Oh and those eyes, those crimson, vermilion bittersweet glowing eyes, with a drop of rose, something he never saw before in her eyes, that deep tone of magenta in the middle of those bright red eyes.

° **°** °

° **°** °

"I'm not going to kill you, Hestia, I _can't_ kill you" his breathing was so heavy, floating in front of her, hot, rapid "ah fuck" Geralt shut his eyes tight, his grip of her waist now very gentle, almost nonexistent. He couldn't look into her eyes anymore, it made his chest full, almost as there was too much air to breath, to much pure air filling his inside and at the same time it ached, to his core, to his bones. He was driven by something he never experienced before and having no control of if petrified him, to the point of trying to ignore it so it would just go away, like a child. But he could feel her gaze falling upon him, covering his entire being. Geralt opened his eyes slowly, believing that those few seconds of his eyes shut brought him some control, some strength against what he really wanted to do. Her gaze met his, as Geralt's hand slipped further down, not on purpose, but because he felt his strength being drawn out of him.

"Stop looking at me like that" she said with a tender but full of fear voice, not being able to look away.

"Like what?" he answered, confused.

"Like you know me" her answer was very to the point, she knew exactly how she was feeling, as if they knew each other for years, decades, that feeling was so intense,, so intrusive and profound there was no way it wasn't real, however, at the same time, it couldn't be real, they've exchanged so few words, how could they feel that way? How could he feel this way about the girl he was supposed to murder? How could she feel this way about a witcher? A known monster slayer?

"fuck" Hestia moaned, before allowing her body to go after what it felt, what it craved, uniting their lips in a quick urgent unexpected kiss that took Geralt by surprise.

° **°** °

_The fairer sex, they often call it_   
_But her love's as unfair as a crook_   
_It steals all my reason_   
_Commits every treason_   
_Of logic, with naught but a look_

_A storm breaking on the horizon_   
_Of longing and heartache and lust_   
_She's always bad news_   
_It's always lose, lose_   
_So tell me love, tell me love_   
_How is that just?_

_But the story is this_   
_She'll destroy with her sweet kiss_   
_Her sweet kiss_   
_But the story is this_   
_She'll destroy with her sweet kiss_

_Her current is pulling you closer_   
_And charging the hot, humid night_   
_The red sky at dawn is giving a warning, you fool_   
_Better stay out of sight_   
_I'm weak my love, and I am wanting_   
_If this is the path I must trudge_   
_I welcome my sentence_   
_Give to you my penance_   
_Garrotter, jury and judge_   
_But the story is this_   
_She'll destroy with her sweet kiss_   
  


° **°** °

Nothing had ever felt as meant to be as their lips pressing against each others, their tongues in a slow, passionate dance. It was like a drug so powerful that with one take, they were addicted, a curse with no cure in sight and no wish to pursue for a fix, a poison so powerful no antidote would save and no will to get it out of their system. She knew, the moment he touched her waist, that her lust would overcome her, drag her to her decay, that the necessity of his touch would overrule her every fighting thought, because his touch felt perfect, his lips a match, his tongue her ruin, the heat of his body her home.

Her lips tasted like cherry and her tongue of the finest wine, he wanted to dive into her, to get drunk of her kiss and have her arms to calm the hangover. The carnal craving his soul begged for was stronger than he ever felt before, the way she touched him made his entire body shiver, as if they were two pieces that fitted perfectly in each other. 

Hestia jumped on his lap without thinking twice, wrapping her legs around his waist, making her dress lift all the way to the middle of her thigh. Geralt picked her up effortless, carrying her, with one hand on her back and one on her ass, laying Hestia on the bed. With her legs still wrapped around his waist, Hestia pulled him closer, making their bodies press harder against each other. His hand quickly traveled to her thighs, rubbing his thumbs close to her groin and the point of his finger gently caressing her ass. Hestia pulled his chest away for just a second, time enough for her to rip Geralt's shirt in half, showing off his strong, defined body.

"fuck" she moaned, gazing into his body, then lifting her eyes to his.

Geralt smirked, doing the same to her dress, but with much ease, as if he was a natural, exposing her breasts, with her niples already hard. Hestia rolled over him, being on top, with her sex right on the top of his, that was hard and pulsating. 

"That was an expensive silk dress" she said, grabbing all of her hair and putting on one side. He watched, as the strands of her copper smooth hair slowly and gently passed on her nipples.

"That was an expensive shirt" he grunted, holding her tight by the waist. His big strong hand grabbed Hestia's ass in an urge to hold on to her for as long and as strong as he could.

His grip was intense, breathtaking. Hestia laughed, smirking before diving in his lips once again, lifting her ass just enough for her to grab Geralt's belt and take it off. The feeling of her breasts rubbing against his bare chest was driving him insane, feeding his lust and only making him crave her more. With a bit of effort, Hestia took his underwear on, revealing his hard cock. She didn't think twice before taking her panties off.

Hestia wanted him whole, kissing every single part of his, from his neck to his hip bone, while hearing his deep moans and loud breathing. 

The desire was too big, her will to feel him inside and his to fuck her was too much, there was no time to waste. 

Geralt grabbed Hestia by the waist, flipping them over, being on top of her again. He kissed her, deeply, wishing he could stay there forever stuck on her lips, forever in touch with her skin, forever with her lips touching his lobe softly, her fingers interlaced with his, holding his hand strongly, her feet and legs dragging against his bare thighs.

The redhead let a loud, full of desire, uncontrollable moan escape her lips when she finally felt him inside of her, filling her up, making her body warmer. Their sweats soon turned into one, as he moved inside of her, their bodies rubbing against each other. The smell of sex was intoxicating, they just couldn't get enough of each other. His wolf necklace was cold, hanging from his neck and scratching her stomach, cold, giving her shivers. His lips devouring hers, only stopping to breath into each other, heavy, wet, hot.

His lips rested gently on her collarbone, delighting himself with Hestia's moans close to his ear, with her lips touching softly his lobe, as he started thrusting harder, deeper, faster. Hestia's legs started to shake involuntarily, as she was about to come.

"Fuck" Geralt moaned, after he released Hestia's hand that went immediately to his back, sinking her nails in his back strong, tenacious "fuck fuck fuck" he said, when Hestia let a loud, maddening moan, with her arms and legs wrapped around him, coming. It didn't take long for Geralt to come, with her moans turning him on like never before. She felt her inside warmer, although his pose was still strong and he wasn't thrusting anymore. 

His hand traveled to her face, holding it gently, gazing into Hestia's ruby eyes, with the other hand he held his body from crushing her. He kissed her softly, tender, caressing her cheek with his thumb, while she passed her hands on his ash hair. 

Geralt laid next to her, facing her, finally getting out of Hestia. He rested his head on his arm and with his free arm, embraced Hestia in a hug. She then turned to face him, with such tender in her eyes Geralt did not know how to react.

"Ah fuck" she said, knowing from that moment on there was no way of getting rid of him.

° **°** °

° **°** °


	23. Of Blood and Murder

° **°** °

° **°** °

Geralt woke up feeling as light as a feather, no worries on his mind, not overthinking, just enjoying the unique moment of feeling free. He stayed in bed for a while longer, thinking about the night before, trying to recall every single moment, every touch, her taste, the softness of her hair and the delicacy of her embrace. The bed still smelled like her, intoxicating his lungs with her rosemary essence, as he sunk in the pillow she slept in. When he finally opened his eyes, Geralt was surprise to not find Hestia laying next to him, leaving him empty and a bit worried.

The White Wolf put his clothes back on and quickly exited the room. It was easy to find her trace, since witcher had a way more acute and accurate sense of smell, as if he could almost see the path she made. Geralt made sure to not make any noise, walking slowly but steady, hiding behind the entrance of what it seemed to be a secret meeting. 

"You've been planning this for years, Hestia, it's time to finally end Nilfgaard's reign of terror!" a voice he recalled said, determined, it was Baldric.

"It is not so simple, Skellige does not want us to fight, they are in peace with Nilfgaard, for now at least, they are not aiming at us, just Cintra and well, everywhere around it" Hestia's powerful voice filled the room, she sounded disappointed above all, but still maintained her posture as leader.

"Who cares what Ragnar thinks? Are you just going to sit and watch your land fall? A land you deserve by birth right?" silence filled the room and before Hestia could reply, Baldric continued "It's yours by blood, it's not your fault Calanthe threw you out, it's still your home".

"My home is here, in Skellige, this is my land, not Cintra" Hestia sounded bitter, Geralt could notice her discomfort just by her voice and even with all that, she didn't stumble or trembled her voice.

Many questions were born with that one conversation, as if there weren't enough on Geralt's head. Cintra was in danger even back then, when he visited, now it seemed to be getting worse. What did he mean when said that Hestia has Cintrian blood? That is her land? And what did Calanthe do? He felt overwhelmed by a second and the feeling that he had so sure, of how he knew Hestia, was now blurred.

"You can't deny blood, Hestia, you've been ignoring for years and now that Pavetta is dead you can't just ignore it anymore" Baldric, the man who appeared so sweet and charming, now sounded incisive and afraid, only proving Geralt's theory that no one shows who they really are until shit happens "are you just going to sit and let Calanthe raise that kid? Let a murderer raise such a sweet child when Pavetta personally asked you to take care of her?".

"This is non of your business, Baldric! Fuck!" Hestia seemed to be losing her temper "I know who I am, I'm Hestia de Aretuza, I was abandoned at Aretuza as a baby, I am Tissaia's daughter, I am the Burning Witch, I am the mage of fire and flames, I am the Earl of Hindarsfjall and that's it, yes I have royal blood, yes I know what Pavetta said and yes I care for the child, but it's not my burden to car-" Hestia suddenly stopped talking and a strong wind hit the door, opening it fully, showing Geralt's hideout "fuck" she said, noticing he heard it all and was now on damage control mode.

So many secrets exposed so quickly it made Hestia's heart race like a horse running away. She felt like throwing up, if those secretes came out to public, if everyone found out the truth, she was going to be killed in a week and all the life she made for herself in the isles would be gone forever. Her hand was shaking and starting to heat up, her eyes emerging into a see she did not know how to contain, but was trying her hardest. And also an anger, of trusting Geralt so early, of him sneaking into her business, of him knowing more of her than she wished.

Hestia stormed out of the room, practically running. She heard the witcher call for her, but she just wanted to escape all of her problems. She couldn't breath, a panic attack filled her chest with what seemed rocks of worry and inhibited her from having even one gasp of air. She could hear his steps right behind her, but she chose to ignore, maintaining the fast rhythm of her pace. Hestia only stopped when she reached the lavender field on the castle's garden. It was still covered in snow and the cold was freezing, but she stayed there, trying to catch her breath while gazing into the field. 

"Hestia!" Geralt finally caught up to her "shit" he said, as he stumbled into the snow "we need to talk" the white wolf said, standing right next to her, but she couldn't listen, a loud high pitched noised filled her eardrums, clogging them and making every outside sound so low and irrelevant, she could see his mouth moving and his expression of anger and confusion, but she couldn't hear or say a word.

Hestia closed her eyes tight, trying to think of happy thoughts and there she was, with the smell of lavender helping Hestia's immersion, it was as if she could see Fiona standing right in front of her, her smile was comforting and warm, she just wanted to feel safe again. Jaskier appeared to, holding Fiona's hand. Further ahead Tissaia and Yennefer stared cold in the distance. Fiona's head fell on the floor. Jaskier was screaming. She was screaming and it turns out she was screaming in real life.

The Burning Witch opened her eyes, noticing she was on the floor, holding her hair tight in her hands, tears covering her face. He was looking at her, with an expression of worry, he was holding her by the arms, trying to bring her back to reality. Hestia relaxed her body, laying completely on the floor, while holding Geralt's arms. Her hearing started to come back, she felt a mess, as her body was still high on adrenaline and nostalgia.

"Fine, we'll talk".

° **°** °

° **°** °

Hestia and Geralt were back in her room. The fireplace has lost it's flames, so Hestia lit it up, using her hand. She gazed at it, watching as the flames danced around, preparing herself to tell Geralt everything. The White Wolf sat down on the bed, right in front Hestia and the fireplace.

"It's hard to know how to start, I don't know how much you know and who gave you the information" she took a deep breath, feeling her heart heavy "maybe I should start with the past year...I still don't understand how or why, but I've been having visions, dreams mostly, of you for a while now, I don't know why this happens but you were always there, in my dreams, looking at me, trying to reach me, the nights suddenly became restless as I couldn't sleep without dreaming of you anymore and the curiosity, oh the curiosity...it was eating me up, I'd get anxious during the day, waiting for the night to come so I could learn more about you and try to get any clue of why I was seeing you" her hand slowly passed on the shelf just above the fireplace "I read many books and talked with many mages, if it was possible to dream of someone you've never met, I had to travel so far and for so long to get that answer and even then it wasn't the answer I was searching for, neither knew how to...process it. I went to Freya's temple and found and old mage there, an specialist on the subject of, well, of destiny, there she told me the only way you can dream of someone you've never met was if they were bonded by destiny".

"I always believed in destiny, not in the way people do, I mean, I believe Tissaia adopting me was my destiny, I also believe me meeting Fiona was also destiny, as if we've met in different lives, she was meant to be my "she giggled "older sister, if you'd like to put into terms."

"Serena saw me arriving at Aretuza even before I was born, she was already an old friend of Tissaia, an old student of hers, she told me Tissaia always wanted a daughter and she made a promise to the gods if she got one she'd repay them somehow, she found me in the seashore, I think that says all" Hestia closed her eyes for a second, remembering Tissaia, trying to not feel so bitter "So when the mage told me we must be bonded by destiny I was petrified, since, well, since Tissaia let me be tortured and kicked out of Aretuza and Fiona...Fiona being coldly murdered, I guessed destiny wasn't what I thought it was at all".

"And then you came, I tried to stop dreaming of you, even tried to quit sleeping with some spells that didn't last much, I hoped it would just stop, I was pretty sure it would soon stop" she squatted down, getting closer to the fire "but it didn't, it lasted for months and it wasn't just the dreams, it was the sudden smell of you and this incredibly annoying feeling, a feeling as if I knew you, as if you were family, as if..." she shook her head and laughed "as we were meant to be or something".

"So when I saw you in a vision, being almost dead, I could only try to save you and I just couldn't believed when it happened, you know, when I casted that spell and you got a bit better and then...and then I could _see_ where you were, I could see it _perfectly_ , as if I was standing right next to you, so I went there and you were already so close to me, it was such a short trip".

"I tried everything to wake you up, when I thought the hardest part would be to get you out of the woods I then faced the worst part of all, you not waking up" Hestia finally set down on the floor, on top of the tapestry "I tried everything Geralt, everything you can imagine, I sent my loyal confident to all over the Continent to find a cure, to find a way to wake you up, I read all the books, tried all of the spells, everything, but _nothing_ worked, I still have no idea of how you woke up" a sad laugh escaped her lips "Cintra and Nilfgaard still hate each other, thanks to me I guess and they haven't gotten into a declared war, but Nilfgaard is moving fast, devouring everything in it's way, no one can stop them, is just surreal, they have become so powerful and fucking insane over the years, I didn't believe they could get any worse but they did, Fiona was right from them beginning, fucking Fiona having to be the hero" she grunted.

"I found out a lot of things about you the past year, ended up finding out that you are friends with Jaskier and now I can't get that god damn song out of my head, oh how I miss that little prick" she smiled "can you believe he used to call me sparkles?" she gazed at Geralt for a second, that was listening to everything very attentive, she quickly turned her face to gaze at the fire again "found out you also know an old friend of mine, Yennefer" saying her name was incredibly painful, but she had to do it, without mentioning their history.

"Wait, you know Yennefer?" Geralt made his first interruption.

"We went to Aretuza at the same time, well I was always there but we studied together, but that doesn't matter anymore" she quickly changed the subject "oh and Nilfgaard got a price on your head".

"Not the first time" he shrugged. 

"Not going to be the last one too I bet" she said "anyway, you haven't lost much, Cintra and Nilfgaard are probably going to end up in war, Nilfgaard hates you, Skellige is maintaining it's distance and living it's life, until the entire Continent belongs to Nilfgaard, I also found out Jaskier won a brothel from an inheritance, I bet he's loving it" she couldn't help to laugh "I don't have any news on Letus though, and oh, Calanthe is back, in the end they found out she was taken by some enemies and kept prisoner for a while, but that was like a month before you arrived in Skellige, I bet Harry is out of his mind, he always wanted to be King or whatever" she rolled her eyes "not that Calanthe is any saint but well, I guess that's all".

"No it's not Hestia and you know it" Geralt, although being anxious for more information and still digesting all of what Hestia said and the fact that he lost a year, still sounded empathetic and caring, his tone wasn't of demand, but almost as a close friend trying to help a heart be set free.

Of course he was intrigued by Hestia story with Cintra, since he had it's share of "destiny" in there, but it was more important for him that she felt...comfortable.

With her eyes filled by tears and her throat dry, Hestia fought her best to keep her posture, to not let him see her decay, however it was an incredibly sensitive topic that brought her much pain. 

"Pavetta and Duny would constantly visit Skellige, even with their constant presence in the Isles we still barely saw each other, I only met Pavetta when she was already pregnant with her kid" Hestia slowly caressed the fire, without a burn or a scream of pain "she knew the moment she saw me that I wasn't Singrid, because well, I lived in Cintra for a while and even though we never exchanged words in Cintra, she remembered my face perfectly".

"So she pulled me aside, I can still picture it perfectly, Pavetta with her hand in her belly, gazing into my eyes, holding my hand tight, she said 'you're not Singrid neither Sabina, then who are you?', her angry self was so funny, she was too sweet to yell at someone. For some reason I trusted her and told her...everything, to this day i cannot believe I did that, I must have been out of my mind" she laughed "that same day Pavetta went back to Cintra and discovered the unthinkable, you will tell me I'm lying but that's exactly what I thought at first to".

With her own hands Hestia made a little doll of a man and a woman.

"These are my parents, Corelia and Dagorad the Second, Calanthe's older _**brother**_. Calanthe did not aprove their marriage since Corelia was an mage and at that time Cintra did no approve mages, but she had no say in it. No one knew Corelia was a mage, so when Calanthe blackmailed both Corelia and Dagorad, for him to resign from being King and for them to leave and they did, they left for Toussaint, Corelia's home where they had me shortly after".

"When Calanthe found out where they were, she sent assassins after them, Mousesack was among the group and when he saw there was a little girl there he pretended to have murdered the" she giggled " _redheaded burning baby_ , as Pavetta described. Turns out he did what he thought was best, that was leaving me at Aretuza, I guess he thought the best place for a powerful infant was a school of mages" she turned the two little fire dolls into one big flame "my parents were murdered so Calanthe would have her way".

"Turns out I not only have a family, but it's royal, I have a cousin and an little second degree cousin? Is that how you say it? Ah fuck what can I say, I have Elder Blood in me, I'm a descendants of Lara Dorren, that's why I have all this power" she made a larger fireball, then quickly extinguished it "I have elven blood, that's why I'm so powerful and for some reason I got...fire, Pavetta had her own thing too and so did her grandmother".

"Why the hell would Pavetta tell you all this?" Geralt made his second interruption.

"Because she has a-" she stopped and corrected herself "had a beautiful heart, she cared for family and cared for me and we were family for a while. I helped her raise the little girl, fuck, I even delivered her into this world because for some reason she decided that she wanted to be born in the middle of the fucking woods" she laughed, rubbing her forehead "Then Calanthe took her away, as she always does, haven't seen the girl ever since, I miss her everyday though, she was a light in the dark for me, sometimes it even felt like she was my own and it was good during my 'I'm obsessed with babies I can't believe I can't have a baby fuck my life' phase".

"So it's a normal phase? The I want a baby, can't have it, shall have it" Geralt joked.

"Didn't you feel it?" Hestia questioned.

"Not really, don't think I'm father material" he responded.

"Well I think I'd make a terrific mom" she pointed out, resting her back against the fireplace wall "I just hope Calanthe haven't destroyed the little girl, like she does with everything".

° **°** °

° **°** °


	24. What am I, Witcher?

° **°** °

° **°** °

"I won't lie that is a lot of information to digest" Geralt said, breaking the silence that had prevailed for long minutes. He had both his elbows resting in his kneecaps, gazing into Hestia, that was sitting with her legs opened and straight, she was still resting her back on the fireplace, facing back at Geralt.

"I know" she said, almost in a whisper.

"I don't really know what to say" he took a deep breath.

"me neither" she replied "do you have any questions?".

"no, do you?" he asked.

"I do, actually, one question" Hestia took one look down, at her nails, as she pulled the little pieces of skin that were stiff.

"ask away" Geralt said, looking at what she was doing to her hands "don't do that".

"I know" she quickly stopped, separating her hands and looking towards Geralt, saying rapid "why did you come here and why are you still here?".

"That's two questions" he raised his hand at her, making a number two "which one?".

"I tell you everything about me and you give me only one question?" she buffed "that's rather unfair".

"Both your questions are complicated" he responded.

"more complicated than me?" she joked, in a sad tone.

"you're not complicated, your story might be, but you are very easy to read" he gazed into her sad eyes, hoping his words would bring her some comfort.

"so what am I, witcher?" she said, facing him.

Geralt set down next to her, also resting his back against the fireplace. the stones felt cold but he didn't mind, she was warm enough to make him peaceful. Their arms lightly touching, he could feel the difference from his temperature to hers, Geralt turned his head and so did she, now gazing at each other. For a moment Hestia lost herself in his golden, ivory eyes, she felt safe as long as they were looking at her and his arms, oh his arms, there was nothing better then his embrace, that night they spent together was the first time she ever truly felt safe, with her eyes completely shut, not waking up once during the night, even knowing he was asleep, there was this feeling that he was looking after her and for no reason at all she trusted him to do so. Many times she thought of the madness of that feeling and of her allowing it to overrule her, she felt stupid and completely insane, on the edge of going mad, of loosing her mind and still, she felt peace.

"you have a kind heart, kind enough to make your home a monster dungeon, to let a witcher into your bed, to not only allow him to stay but to take care of him when many in your position would already have murdered him, you are determined, so determined that you almost got us both killed to safe a griffin that you owed nothing, your heart is too big and too gentle, to the point of putting everyone's needs and dreams above yours, which I'm telling you right now it's really fucking stupid, although shows you are a good person" Geralt's words hit Hestia like a storm, she didn't know what to say, but those sweet words calmed her vicious mind and ended her sad thoughts "and you're also great in bed and you're breasts are mind blowing" he couldn't help to joke for a bit, even though it was true, which complete unbalanced Hestia.

"you still haven't answer my questions" she unconsciously got closer to him, being drawn by his charm, almost touching the tip of their noses.

"I granted you one" he said, joining her closer "which one?". 

"why did you come here at all if you weren't going to slay me?" she asked, Geralt being able to feel her breath of wine, it's breeze touching his lips so softly.

"I don't know the answer to your question, at least not yet" he replied "I gave up on the contract over your head before even stepping on that ship, why I stepped on it I don't know, I just did, almost as an instinct and as you said yourself, I was probably out of my mind because it almost got me killed, but still, I'm here and I can't stop but wonder what got into me to do so".

"that's half an answer" she pointed out, slightly rubbing her nose on his and with her eyes closed she said "why are you still here?".

"come on you know the answer, don't make me say it" Geralt felt a bit uncomfortable, he was not much of a feelings guy.

"what? you can't admit what you're feeling? I don't judge you it's pretty weird we've known each other for what? 3 days?" she laughed opening her eyes and getting a bit further "doesn't feel like it though".

"It really doesn't" he let the air out through his mouth "so what do you want to do?".

"what do _you_ want to do about it?" she smiled, sweetly. 

"right now? well right now I want to throw you in that bed and fuck you until my body is sore" he said, not helping himself, making Hestia laugh really loud and slap him in the arm "it's not my fault you're good at it".

"I don't usually do that okay? Let some stranger fuck me, even though it feels like we've known each other for _ages_ " she put emphases on ages.

"I bet you don't" he laughed, joking.

"Stop it! I really don't! I literally haven't had sex in forever".

"Well you did not a long time ago" he smiled and grabbed her hand, gently stroking it "I'm not really the type that overthinks, I just do what I feel and right now being with you feels good".

"Did not expect you to be a romantic" she got closer.

"I'm not".

"you sound like one" she smiled "you sound like Jaskier even!".

"I'm going to get up and leave right now" he said, pretending to be so offended, standing up, but before he could finish it, Hestia pulled him closer, making him fall on top of her.

Hestia joined their lips in a sweet, while still laughing kiss, that soon turned into a deeper kiss, as Geralt held her hands up against the floor, as she pulled him closer with her legs wrapped around him. 

"you're going to be the death of me I can feel it" she said, while he kissed her neck.

"I'm glad we are on the same page".

° **°** °

"we shouldn't be doing this, it's just primal, carnal instinct, lust" Hestia said, still laying on the tapestry nude, Geralt was trying to take a nap, laying with his abdomen down and head resting in the crossed arms "we barely know each other, tell me something about you" she turned to face him, but he kept his eyes closed.

"What to you wanna know?" he practically moaned his sentence. 

"I don't know, maybe how you met Jaskier, I miss him dearly" she said, feeling nostalgia hit her "how is he? Still a womanizer that talks too much and is over dramatic?".

"you know him well" he giggle still with his eyes shut "he was playing his fucking lute like he was king of the world, you know, very Jaskier like".

"yes" she chuckled.

"Everyone was yelling at him to stop and telling how shitty it was, it got so bad they started throwing food at him" Geralt smiled just a bit "he took one look at me and for some reason decided to come over, I told I've come to drink alone but he wouldn't take no for an answer, he just _had_ to have my opinion on his music, I just wanted to make him shut up but it's been years and I still haven't figured out how" they both laughed "I made the bad decision of telling him what was wrong with his songs, that the creatures did not exist, he figured out that I was a witcher and believed that somehow it would be a good idea to follow me in my, and I quote him, 'adventures' so he could write a good song".

"When a humble bard" she started singing, imitating Jaskier's voice"Graced a ride along, with Geralt of Rivia, along came this song" Hestia did a silly dance with her head, from one side to another, making her long copper hair dance along, Geralt finally opened his eyes and for the first time ever he was actually enjoying the song, not because he had any joy in listening anything about himself, but yes because he just adored this new trace of personality he just discovered on Hestia, being _silly_ "When the White Wolf fought" she poked his muscles and the side of his body "A silver tongued devil, his army of elves, at his hooves did they revel" Hestia then put her arm on her chest and hanged her head back, letting her hair hit the floor from the back of her head, over dramatic to sing the next part "They came after me, with masterful deceit, broke down my lute and they kicked in my teeth" Geralt now couldn't help to laugh at her performance, so dramatic and theatrical, almost as seeing a play.

_" While the devil's horns_

_Minced our tender meat_

_And so cried the Witcher_

_He can't be bleat_

_Toss a coin to your Witcher_

_Oh, valley of plenty_

_Oh, valley of plenty, oh_

_T_ _oss a coin to your Witcher_

_O_ _h, valley of plenty"_

"Stop!" he grunted, pulling her closer and putting a quick end to her performance.

"Hey! I was doing real art here okay?" she laughed so loud and she was just delighting herself with Geralt's laugh "so you do laugh and smile, I guess people are wrong about witcher, you cold hearted murders" she joked, making a devilish face.

"you're odd as fuck" he said, standing on top of her, trying to stop his smile "humans know nothing of us".

"I know" she smirked "but aren't you a friend of humanity?" Hestia couldn't stop with the jokes, she was just having too much fun with it and to make her stop, Geralt kissed her, intensely.

"are you trying to shut me up with your mouth?" she got off the kiss and Geralt sunk his face on her neck in defeat.

"maybe".

"that is low, friend of humanity" she said while hugging him.

"I hate you" he grunted.

"no you don't".

"I should".

"you can't! I think if you could I'd already be dead".

"that's fair" he said, facing her "but I rather..." before Geralt could finish his sentence, Hestia pushed him away with her feet in his abdomen. 

"you rather go get to know my island, since you seem to be staying you might as well be useful" she stood up, walking in a sexy way to the bathroom "go talk to Baldric, he'll get you something to do" she rested her hand on the bathroom door and looked behind, she could notice the tender look stuck in Geralt's face and that made her feel silly inside "in my island we don't kill beasts, but oh boy there's a lot of work to be done" she then walked in the bathroom.

"Can I at least join i-" his sentence was abruptly stopped by Hestia yelling "no!" and shutting the door behind her, laughing.

° **°** °

° **°** °


	25. Rosemary and Eucalyptus

° **°** °

° **°** °

Baldric's stare was of pure disapproval, but he tried his best to smile. He had nothing against Geralt, but everything against what he was. Many times he saw his death so close he could smell the dirt he'd be under, thanks to a couple of witchers. Even though he knew that only other Higher Vampire could kill definitely another Higher Vampire, being killed temporally by a witcher was no fun and it happened once before. Baldric didn't think Geralt would try to slay him, but he knew that deep in Geralt there was a witcher instinct, like all the others, to kill monsters. But what truly bothered him was to see Hestia trust him so easily. It took over two years for him and Yohanna to become Hestia's confident, for her to tell her secrets and even then, she fed them her stories from time to time, in no hurry to allow them to get to the core of her secrets.

And in one day the man of white hair knew so much in what took him and Yohanna years, that's what truly bothered Baldric. Yohanna was another story, her motherly instincts were emerging and she was worried about Hestia. On a conversation that took place after the events of dinner, Yohanna demanded that Baldric would watch Geralt and report back to her, Yohanna's job would be to stop Hestia from falling for the man, because she could see it, just from them standing next to each other over dinner, that Hestia's feelings were intensifying. She had noticed something odd about her friend before Geralt woke up. Hestia would spent most of her time in his room, taking care of the man, obsessing about how to bring him back to life. Hours and hours in front of books, failed spells and potions, trips to far lands in search of answers and herbs, obsessing over work and neglecting herself. 

Yohanna had never seen Hestia like that, the redheaded earl was not to get attached, neither to care that much for love, always telling her how love is a distraction from what truly matters, your accomplishments, your dreams and desires. In many years of friendship Yohanna had never seen Hestia with anyone, although Yohanna dreamed of a royal wedding for Hestia, she ended up getting one for herself, as a wedding gift from Hestia though. 

It was odd and troubling for Yohanna to see her friend follow an unknown dangerous path, she trusted no one, much less a witcher. "she's been through too much, it's not fair, if he breaks her heart it will be her end, she's just now learning how to truste again, it took her a decade and _many_ baby steps, how come she will allow a witcher to lead her to decay?" she said to Baldric in their discussion "she is too good to fall into old bad revenge and anger and...that shitty behavior".

Baldric on the other side was Yohanna's moral compass, trying his best to make her see the light, to be more positive, but she was starting to get into his head and now he couldn't help to wonder if Geralt's intentions were good at all, actually, he had no idea why he was there and why he was still there, since they knew what he first came to do, slay Hestia.

Geralt walked out the door with the same clothes, stinking like sex, Baldric wanted to laugh at first, he knew how long it been since Hestia last had a taste of man and he couldn't believe the first one after a long time would be a witcher.

"Hestia said I should find something to do" Geralt said in a serious tone, standing in front of Baldric.

"yes people don't survive with only sex" he joked, rubbing his hand against his nose.

"what's that suppose to mean?" Geralt questioned, not understanding the vampire's tone.

"you stink" he said "couldn't take a bath before coming here?" Baldric giggled, but quickly contained himself as Geralt gave him a scary look "why don't you go and take a bath before we start?".

"Hm" Geralt grunted, turning his back to go take a fucking bath.

"while you're at it maybe we could start the conversation" Baldric said, trying to catch up to Geralt "what are you good at?" he asked politely.

"Killing monsters" he grunted, entering his room, that was not the way he left, what made Geralt believe some worker got in and organized and cleaned his things.

"ha, ha ha" Baldric faked a laugh, Geralt was tough to access "those skills can be used for other things I guess, how long...do you plan to _stay_?" Baldric decided to put subtle questions to get the information his wife demanded. He started to fill the water of the tub, hot, almost boiling.

"Don't know yet" Geralt replied, with not much intonation as usual, while looking around the bathroom, that now had a bunch of products he barely knew how to use, lotions for the body, perfumes from Toussaint (known for being the best and most expensive), things...to put on the hair and also soaps that had a delicate aroma of eucalyptus "when did this get here?".

"All the bathrooms have one" Baldric said, diving his hand in the water, checking the temperature "although Hestia chose the scents of yours".

"she did?" he turned his back to face Baldric, while thinking 'does she think I stink?'.

"yes, she is very, how can I put...attentive to everyone around her, a bit controlling sometimes, but that comes with, you know, trust issues" he took his hand out of the tub and grabbed a small vessel, pouring some salts on the bathtub "I guess Aretuza plus being tortured does that to you".

"or worse" he guessed, putting down the perfume "did she tell you what she's doing today?" he asked, taking his shirt off.

"Today she's going to visit Ragnar" Baldric set down on a wooden chair a bit away from the tub "they have a meeting".

"Ragnar King of Skellige?" Geralt questioned, taking his trousers and entering in the bath.

"Yes, they are ver close, he gave her this land" he pointed out "they're going to discuss about Nilfgaard and Cintra".

"What about Nilfgaard and Cintra?".

"About helping Cintra".

Geralt sunk his head in the water for a bit, having his mind filled with thoughts. Despite Hestia telling him all her secrets, Geralt kept most of his, especially about the child of surprise and his relationships in Cintra. He didn't know how to tell her that her cousin had his child of surprise, that Calanthe hated him and that he met both Pavetta and Duny, that he _saved_ Duny's life. So he decided to keep it to himself, ignoring it for god knows how long, he'd been doing it for so long, avoiding it, so why would he start caring now?

° **°** °

° **°** °

"Can I ask you a few questions?" Baldric said, crossing his legs.

"hm" Geralt grunted, already bored with the conversation and not enjoying the course it was taking at all.

"i'll take that as a yes" he coughed "so, why did you accept Letus contract?".

"Coin" he answered, rude, Geralt was not fond of people shoving their noses on his life.

"Did this 'monster' he described seemed more human than a beast? Did he offer that much coin?" Baldric questioned, intrigued.

"it sounded like a powerful monster that liked blood and death" he replied, wishing Baldric would stop talking "and yes, a lot of coin".

"how much?".

"a lot".

"Hm..." he took a deep breath "and why did you gave up on killing her?".

"why do you care?" Geralt started to get extremely annoyed.

"because she is my friend, isn't that obvious?" Baldric got almost offended.

"And what do I have to do with all this? Just because you're her friend I'm supposed to tell you all about my life?" Geralt stared at him "it's non of your business".

"Why do you have to be such an asshole?".

"It's a natural response to nosiness" Geralt pointed out "now what's to do in this island?" he changed the subject.

"Fine" Baldric gave up on the questionnaire "we have a big problem with bandit camps, to this day some people in the island are not very fond of 'Singrid', including other earls, but that's another problem, anyway, if you could solve a couple of them would help a lot, save some lives from murderers, rapists, etc".

"I don't murd-" Geralt started.

"I know you've killed you're share of bad people" he pointed out "you might even become a knight".

"That's what knights do here?".

"Just like Toussaint" Baldric smiled "Hestia is very fond of Toussaint, even never setting foot there, but well, she was born there and it _is_ a ver prosperous place".

"I guess".

"With really fine wine" Baldric pointed out and stood up "we will be serving it at tomorrow's ball" he smiled, knowing Geralt would be deeply annoyed by it.

"Ball?" the man almost jumped out of the tub "fuck no".

"Fuck yes" Baldric said walking towards the door "Hestia loves balls, she's a great dancer".

"Fuck".

"If you need anything else you can tell me, I organize things here, the knights, etc".

"Can you cancel the ball?" he grunted.

"That's with Yohanna not me" he laughed "good luck Geralt" Baldric went away.

"Shit" Geralt said, before sinking in the bathtub once again.

° **°** °

The night had taken place long before Hestia arrived. Her body was sore from riding Freya all day and she was a bit sea sick from the ship travel to Ragnar's castle. Her mouth was dry from all the talking and her belly was full of wine and pork meat from the feast Ragnar prepared for her. They talked and laughed for hours before focusing on the serious issues. Hestia tried her best to convince Ragnar that the right thing to do would be help Cintra. She knew if she told him her bloodline that he would help, but Hestia couldn't, so she had to use more technical and moral arguments, that were completely in vain. 

The tears were about to fill her face and descend into river around her cheek bones, however Hestia wouldn't allow it, sucking it all up with more wine. Oh how she wished that with a blink of an eye all the problems would be resolved, or if she could just take the course with her hands and lead the path to what she believed was best.

Hestia gave a quickly goodnight to Yohanna that was about to go to sleep, she also said goodnight to Yohanna's baby, caressing her belly gently, before leaving for her room. All that she wanted was a hot bath and a good night of sleep, however her mind was restless and impatient, imagining all of the consequences of her doing nothing. 

Finally arriving at the room Hestia grunted in exhaustion, taking of her heavy, voluminous dress, leaving only the soft, light white dress that she wears down all those layers of clothing. She started to undone the tight braid she hand on, feeling an enormous relief after it loosened up.

"A ball? Seriously?" Geralt said, gazing at her, almost giving Hestia a heart attack.

"Fucking shit!" she yelled, resting her hand on her chest "I think I threw up in my mouth just a bit".

"Disgusting" he chuckled, watching as Hestia tried to catch her breath.

She looked beautiful as always, with her dress fitting her perfectly, her abundant, long, smooth cherry, flaming hair, loose and free, her features just breathtaking, the cleavage showing her breasts, her delicate feet sustaining her light body, seeming as she had no gravity at all to bother the grace and elegance of her walk. Her tired eyes still with that sparkle of sweetness, but that now showed red on the white parts, as if she had been crying for a while. Her posture still intact, not showing how about to crumble she was, how about to collapse and break down in exhaustion she was.

"got bored on your first day and wanted to visit?" she said in a joking tone, while walking towards the bathroom and taking off her dress.

"Baldric is like a copy of Jaskier, so yes" Geralt replied, following her.

When Geralt arrived at the bathroom Hestia was about to get in the tub, but yelled a loud fuck when noticing the water was cold.

"maybe that's why I appreciate him so much" she said, concentrated in heating the water with both her hands deep into the water.

"You're powers are very useful" he provoked, crossing his arms watching a naked Hestia turn into a heater.

"if you ever need your tea warmed up I'm your girl" she joked the water was about to boil as she walked in, sitting down and letting a moan of relief.

"Will you allow me to join you this time?" Geralt grabbed the border of the wooden tub, facing her.

"you just had a bath, I can smell the eucalyptus out of you" she pointed out, stepping on his hands, provoking him "did you enjoy the scent of eucalyptus?".

"Do you?" he sunk his hands in the water, caressing her legs.

"I do" Hestia smirked feeling his touch.

"then I do too" Geralt said going further and further on her legs "but tell me the truth, did you put those things on the bathroom in a way of telling me I stink?".

"Maybe" she chucked "you smell just fine".

"Hm" he grunted, sexy.

Geralt started to take his clothes off, joining her in the bath.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching as he entered the tub.

"I also appreciate the fragrance of rosemary" Geralt grabbed Hestia by the waist, turning her around and fitting his body against her back like two pieces of a puzzle. Hestia rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes as she enjoyed his embraced. She finally allowed herself to be at ease, as her muscles relaxed and her body got loose on his grasp. As Geralt hugged her waist, Hestia held his arms tighter around her, she took a deep breath and almost fell asleep, with her lips parted in soft smile.

"Hestia" Geralt whispered in his ear.

"Hm" she grunted, just like him.

"thank you" those words sounded so odd coming out of his mouth, for him to say and for her to hear. Geralt barely used those words in his vocabulary, almost forgetting they existed at all and Hestia didn't believe he was the type of man to ever be vulnerable enough to say those words.

"For what?" she tuned her face just a bit, rubbing her nose against his chin.

"for not letting me die" he closed his eyes with the touch of her nose.

"what type of monster would I be to let a man die at my doorstep?" she joked, making Geralt giggle "your laugh is adorable".

"Shut up" he said, still with his eyes closed, as Hestia laughed louder.

"You welcome, witcher".

° **°** °

° **°** °


	26. The Ball

° **°** °

° **°** °

Geralt didn't see Hestia for the entire day, she was gone before he woke up and her scent was weak on that specific morning. He still wanted to believe there would be no ball, that it was all just something they were using to tease him, however once he went into the main floor and saw everything being arranged for it, from typical cleaning to huge flower arrangements, he knew his worst nightmare would become true.

A fucking ball.

Baldric had prepared everything for Geralt's first quest in Skellige, a horse, his weapons and a map. He also gave Geralt a wonderful present, the most annoying escort, a recent added to the family poor guy that wanted to help somehow. Hestia detested him, the man was addicted to talking and obsesses over beasts, he bragged about that one time he killed a kikimora, which Hestia believed was a lie since he couldn't hurt a butterfly. However Baldric wanted to play with Geralt, especially to make his wife happy and it was working, oh so well. When he told her that Geralt's new company was Hjalf, she laughed so much it brought tears to her eyes.

Geralt missed Roach badly, but he knew she was in good hands, he handed her over to Serena until he could finish his business in Skellige, even though he had no idea of what the business was, Geralt was still trying to figure out first, why he was there and second, why he was still there. 

With his armor and swords ready, Geralt hopped on his new horse, also a lady, that he called Roach The Second. 

"Hello sir Rivia I'm so happy to finally meet you, actually happy doesn't come close to what I'm feeling, I'm just...this is so joyful! A dream if I may say" Hjalf, the young man of low stature, weak structure, black hair and an unstoppable, to the edge of creepy smile, said.

Geralt got immediately flashbacks from the time he met Jaskier and how unbearable that man was, wanting to go on adventures, believing they'd make great stories and forgetting the imminent danger of it.

The white wolf shut his eyes, taking a deep breath to not lose his mind.

"Who are you?" he asked, already hopping on the horse.

"I'm your escort! I'm here to help you slay some evil men!" he tried to make an evil face and did some motion with his arms pretending to be tough? Geralt couldn't really understand, barely wanted.

"I don't need an escort" he replied, grunting, as he started to ride.

"Well the Earl told me to so I have to do what she asked for! She demanded, Bladric even said she thought we'd make a great pair!" Hjalf hopped on the horse with difficulty, he was just god awful at horse ridding, making the poor animal go in circles "can you jus-, just wait a bit sir Rivia!" the man said, starting to get frustrated as Geralt tried his best to get some distance between them.

From a far Geralt could hear Baldric and Yohanna laughing, watching the entire scene as it was the most fun play they'd ever seen.

"Assholes" he grunted, noticing Hjalf was approaching.

"Oh I have so many questions! You have so many names! White wolf, butcher of blaviken, that one is scary, I one day will have a name like that" he sounded so excited "Is it true that you've killed a kikimora? I've killed a kikimora myself!" he put his hand in his chest, proud, like a fucking bird, which almost made him fall from his horse "dangerous things don't you think? Thank god I was there to save those people, I mean, I know the Earl does not approve of such a thing, but she said herself if they are putting people in danger, we have to protect the people, Right? Isn't she just so wise?" he looked at Geralt, waiting for a response, then looked forwards again, ignoring Geralt's lack of interest in their conversation "and so beautiful too, don't you agree sir Rivia? I think we can call ourselves by our first names now, right? Geralt? I'm Hjalf" he reached for Geralt's hand, making his horse almost colide with Geralt's.

"No" Geralt grunted putting on a grumpy face, trying to get Roach the second as further away as possible from Hjalf.

"So Geralt" Hjalf completely ignored Geralt's decisions once again "I want to prove myself worthy for my Earl, so I can ask for her hand in marriage, she's been alone for so long, over a year, that's not healthy for a woman".

"You're not healthy for women" Geralt said, very low.

"What?" Hjalf asked, coming back from his thoughts of the beautiful "Singrid".

"I said go home" Geralt lied.

"We are going to be great partners I can feel it" he smiled "I know you fear for me, I thank you for that dear friend, but don't worry, I know my way around evil men" he sounded so superb "do you know your way around women Geralt? I mean, you've laid in bed with many of them? Know where th-".

"I'm going to fucking kill myself" Geralt grunted, rubbing his hands against his face.

"It's that a delicate topic for you? Is it hard because you're a witcher? I heard your race are sterile, does that mean you can't get your little buddy up t-".

"Stop talking or I will slice your throat off I swear to the gods" Geralt said, starting to lose his mind.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sensitive topic then" Hjalf said "are you in love that's why you don't want to talk about it? I understand myself, I'm too am in love, with the beautiful Singrid, actually I don't feel that at all, I love talking about her, about her sweet lips and her beautiful hair and the way sh-".

"What did I just tell you, Hjalf?" Geralt gave him an angry look.

"Sorry, I'll zip it" he made a gesture as if he was zipping his mouth and threw it at away.

Geralt enjoyed the five seconds of silence and for a moment he truly missed Jaskier, anything was better than Hjalf, a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. He'd rather hear Jaskier sing Toss a Coin to Your Witcher for five hours straight then five more minutes with Hjalf. But the silence didn't linger for long.

"Geralt".

"Geralt".

"Geralt" Hjalf wouldn't stop calling for his name, and after the 15th time, Geralt turned to look at Hjalf and yelled:

"WHAT?".

"hm, so, that's, that's the bandit camp" he pointed at the view of at least 10 angry man.

"Stay here and don't die" Geralt said, huffing "fuck".

"yes, sure, don't worry, I'll take care of your hors-".

"Don't touch roach the second" he grunted, taking his sword of his back "here we go".

° **°** °

° **°** °

"you are a natural born killer" Hjalf said slowly, still on the horse.

"Shut up and let's go" Geralt said, covered in blood, leaving only a trail of dead bandits behind.

Geralt was so tired his mind completely shut off all the way back, even with Hjalf talking non stop about his love for "Singrid" and bragging about the fucking kikimora and whatever.

They were late, when Geralt arrived covered in blood people were already there on the gigantic room, drinking and dinning, laughing and kissing and specially dancing. He made himself quiete an spectacle, not on purpose, but his appearance was rather entertaining for the guests. He tried to find Hestia but everyone was wearing masks.

When Geralt arrived at his room, there was a gown ready for him, an entire outfit in icy white and golden details, among with a mask in the shape of a white wolf with a note saying "for the white wolf, from the red fox". He knew it was Hestia's, from the handwriting and specially the scent. He hushed to the tub, taking a quick bath. For the first time he put the goddamn Toussaint perfume that Hestia gave him and proceeded to get ready. It didn't take him long and he couldn't lie, the clothes made him look handsome and were incredibly comfortable.

The room was full of people with the most different smells and looks, making it harder to follow the Rosemary scent. He was doing all of this because of her, for her and still not knowing why he went through all that trouble, Geralt still tried to find the Burning Witch. He was about to give up when he saw the bar, taking a glass of delicious ale and rested his body against the wall, watching the people dance, looking for red hair and rosemary.

"Searching for your love, my dear?" Baldric said, joining Geralt by the bar, he rested his body on the same wall as Geralt and pointed "there she is, dancing with Ragnar, King of Skellige" he said Skellige as it was a big deal, a bit too theatrical for Geralt's taste, ,but Baldric was drunk and didn't care at all.

"So that's Ragnar" he said, watching Hestia spin with a big smile on her face, full of grace and beauty.

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° **°** °

She look stunning, in a big fluffy gown in a deep vermilion color, with golden details and a necklace made of ruby. Her silhouette was well defined, as the corset shaped her torso and lifted her breasts that were very shown in the cleavage in a heart shape of her dress. He couldn't see her feet, since her gown was so big it covered them, so he wondered, was she in heels? what type of heels? what was the color of them? how did it made her legs look? At the same time that the dress showed a lot, it also hide as much, leaving a lot of room for imagination.

The song was over and people started to drift a part. Ragnar whispered something in Hestia's ear and she smiled, something that deeply bothered Geralt, making his heart heavy in jealousy and also hating himself for it. 

Hestia greeted a couple other people and raced to the bar. Without even noticing Geralt, Hestia picked a glass of wine and quickly drank the entirety of it, with her eyes closed, so fast you could see the wine going down her throat.

"Already bored with your own party?" Geralt joked, scaring the shit out of Hestia, something that was becoming a habit. Her face of surprise was so funny it immediately made Geralt giggle.

"Shit, why are you always lurking? Creep" she said, filling her cup up "why are you so late?" she seemed bothered.

"I was busy hiding from your ball" he said and took a drink "a ball" he seemed disappointed.

"yes a ball, geralt" she provoked him with the way she spoke.

"are you trying to make me leave?" he pointed "this might be my worst nightmare coming true".

"If this is your worst nightmare, why haven't you pissed yourself yet?" she joked "the witcher, the monster slayer, the butcher of blaviken" she said, making a big deal of it as a tease "afraid of a little ball?".

"There's nothing little about this" Geralt said.

"You should've seen the balls of Cintra then, way worse than this" she said, resting her back against the wall, close to Geralt, to the point of their arms touch.

"I've been to balls in Cintra, actually a wedding, not a wedding a...what's the name of the thing they do when they want a princess to merry?" he asked, gazing at her.

"In Cintra?" she asked and Geralt immediately regretted and as a drift from the topic, Geralt her hand, walking slowly further to the room. 

"would you allow me a dance?".

"who are you?" she said, following Geralt's lead.

"I have no idea, congratulations on that" his hand traveled to her waist, as the song started.

"Congratulations for what?" she wrapped her hands around his neck "this is not the proper way to dance in a ball" she pointed out, still smiling.

"I have no idea of what's proper or not when it comes to royalty crap" he grunted.

"Oh but it's fun, drinking and dancing and eating" she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath "do you smell that?".

"I smell rosemary and only" he pulled her closer, taking her left hand on his.

"that's cheesy" she mentioned.

"It's the truth, it's not my fault you bathe in perfume".

"I'm proud you put some on, you smell delightful".

"you look beautiful" their noses were almost touching.

"Don't kiss me" she said, gazing at his golden eyes "you don't know what you are getting into".

"I already have a price on my head, what could be more troubling?".

"I'm complicated and dangerous" she made a 'dangerous' face "why would you mess with that?".

"I like playing with fire" he said, so close the will to kiss her was driving him insane.

"Careful not to get burned" she turned her face, making him kiss her cheeks. He took a deep breath, taking her provocations in and smirking just a bit, he liked the dance, the chase, it being hard and secret "have you ever tried painting?" she said in his ear.

"not an artist type" he replied, feeling their bodies so close her warmth was flowing onto him "Jaskier is more of that, even though his singing is not the best".

"if you ever say that to him he will die" she laughed" but well I adore it, if you mix _**red**_ and **_white_** " she looked down at their bodies, her red gown and his white clothes " a beautiful rose color comes along and I love roses, the pink ones are my favorite".

Geralt didn't know how to respond, however his heart raced for a bit and his palms started sweating.

"You know Geralt, I've been thinking a lot, about your arrival and it's meaning" her lips were close to his lobe again "This entire thing isn't because I love balls, I'm just trying to soften Ragnar's ego so I can get what I want and you're making it so much harder".

"What is it?".

"What is what?".

"What you want" he sounded more serious, but still with tender.

"I want Cintra, Geralt, I want to end Nilfgaard and save people from their evil hands" she drifted away for a bit, their bodies further for just an inch "I want to be able to visit Toussaint and meet my birth place, to avenge my parents, to protect Cintra, to clean my name, to be free, to be a queen they truly deserve, all of them".

"You sound like a conqueror" Geralt was always truthful, so sincere sometimes it hurt the people around him "greed and revenge only leads to decay".

"What do you mean by that?" she stepped further away, taking her hand back.

"I mean, why do you want this? Is it power? Isn't all of this enough?" he looked around.

"Why would you say such a thing?" Hestia felt deeply offended, realizing she was opening her heart and her dreams to a man she barely knew. Reality hit her like a lightning and even though her heart told her to trust, her mind saw an enemy, even if for just a second.

"I've seen it before, Yennefer is the same way, we met like that, she almost killed herself for power and I-".

"Why the _fuck_ would you compare me to _Yennefer_? I am _nothing_ like her, I'm nothing like _that_ " she pulled away "if you're not going to stand by me than stay the fuck away" were the last words, before Hestia walking off, angry and disappointed, all the way past Ragnar.

And what would be a night where Hestia would finally get what she dreamed of, the approval and support of Ragnar, turned into nothing, as everything collapsed right in front of her eyes, all her hard work and all the trouble thrown away, for a man she barely knew.

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	27. Rare Species

_"No, I would not want to live in a world without dragons, as I would not want to live in a world without magic, for that is a world without mystery, and that is a world without faith."_

― R.A. Salvatore, Streams of Silver.

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° **°** °

Sleeping alone had become a torture. With so few days on her bed, sleeping alone sunk Geralt into a deep circle of insomnia that was driving his crazy. Her scent was gone in the first night away, nothing on the sheets, on the pillows. He missed her voice, her silly jokes and the taste of her lips, he missed her flirts and how she was the only one that truly wanted to know him. However, she never got the time to fully know him, even though it felt like they they've always known each other. 

Geralt didn't expect his sincerity to hit Hestia so hard, how could he know though? That this meant so much to her? He barely was aware of her plans, how could he trust her? Trust that she wouldn't get power sick and go insane like the Nilfgaardians? That she wouldn't blow everything up for her throne? 

What Geralt wasn't sure, but could feel it was that Hestia had an amazing heart, however, it was also drunk on revenge and she did enjoy power, maybe that's what happens when you have so much fire inside of you, all this intense force wanting to break free coexisting in your core.

Hestia dreamed of the day she would sit on the throne and be a good Queen to her people, to finally claim her name, to be free, to be herself not minding what humans would think or do, because she would finally destroy her chains and own what's hers by blood, so she wasn't afraid, she had royal blood and no one could fight her on that. 

To be herself, to say her name without hiding, to allow her marks to freely roam her body, to not always have to cover herself in public, to tell her story, to be heard by the world, to own her life, that was Hestia's _true_ dream,that she believed there was only one way to get it, to claim her blood, her heritage, her kingdom. 

However the unexpected occurred. Hestia's mind got blurred, so did her wishes, her dreams and her goals. The day Geralt appeared on her dreams for the first time, that was the moment Hestia realized the winds were changing and the day he stepped on Skellige and she was able to finally touch him, her focus was gone. Oh and how she was furious about it, to care too much about a witcher she barely knew, to crave for his touch, to enjoy his voice more than she could ever imagine, to prepare him a fucking room in her castle, to allow a witcher to roam free in her halls, to allow herself to fall this hard. 

And for days she forgot about her goals, her thirst for revenge started to vanish so fast and so subtle Hestia didn't even notice how she began to feel so light. How could his presence make her so...light? Her muscles weren't so tense anymore, her mind was overloaded by his face, his moves, his body, not more the thought of ending Calanthe and destroying Nilfgaard, no, it was all pushed aside, as small things about him got more and more space on her mind and heart, such things as the way he hugged her before falling asleep so deep he seemed dead, making Hestia scared to the point of passing her finger close to his nostrils to make sure he was alive.

The ball changed everything, well, at least that's what Hestia was telling herself, as she melted the snow, yelling from feeling so stupid, after just throwing away the possibility to get Ragnar's support. She didn't have to look deep inside to know that Ragnar wouldn't change his mind, however Hestia was so obsessed with getting her way that somehow she convinced herself she would find away to get him to join her plans. She was aware that it wasn't Geralt's fault, she was very aware she was the one to blame, for waiting anxiously for his arrival, to leave opportunities to talk to Ragnar, to be to focused if he was coming for her. For Hestia the only way to refocus was to step back and reassesses the situation.

On a piece of paper Hestia wrote all she knew about Geralt, all the things he told her, noticing he barely told her a thing. She also wrote pros and cons about him, making a list of the harm he could do. One thing she noticed and couldn't stop obsessing about was why he went after her when he had already given up on killing her and why was he still there. She knew he didn't believe in destiny, so why? 

So she drifted away, ignoring him, trying her best to not follow the steps to his room, fighting the gigantic will to go to his embrace, oh, and finally sleep again, since the nights became restless once again. 

On that specific day, around almost two weeks of ignoring Geralt, Hestia finally returned from her four day trip to the other side of the isles, where she had to assist on a couple of villages that were having a bad harvest. She was tired from the long road, dreaming about resting, but a huge surprise made her rush to the halls of the castle.

"Borch Three Jackdawns!" She said with such delight on her voice, with a big smile, walking towards her old friend. She wrapped her arms around him a tight hug, holding his hands gently "so why do I owe the pleasure of your visit?".

"It warms my heart to have such a warm welcoming!" Borch said, with a smile on his face.

"And who are these with you?" she reached for a handshake.

"This are Téa and Véa" he said, and Hestia shook both hands of the ladies.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Singrid" they both said.

"What can I offer you? Some food? Some tea? Or maybe some ale?" Hestia was so distracted by the joy of having a dear friend arrive that she didn't even notice Geralt's presence, walking in the room out of pure curiosity. He stood there, quietly watching the scene. It was the first time he saw her in a while and just to be able to gaze at her for a few seconds was enough to at least calm his anxious heart.

"Some ale please, do you still own a bunch of Est Est?" he asked.

"Of course! Only the best wine!" she said "join me for..." Hestia turned her back, facing Geralt for the first time, acknowledging his presence.

"Geralt of Rivia!" Borch quickly pointed out, walking towards the witcher, he had a huge smile on his face, reaching for Geralt's hand for a handshake "it is so nice to finally meet you, couldn't hope for more on this day, to meet the famous Geralt of Rivia!".

"That's a first for me" Geralt replied, ending the handshake.

"what is, Geralt?".

"For a human to hope to meet me" he let a sarcastic smile slip off.

"Well to dine with _the_ Geralt of Rivia, it is a pleasure and a first for me too, never met a witcher, there are not many of you left, am I right?".

"to dine?" he asked, confused.

"we are dinning, right, sweet Hestia?" Borch turned to face Hestia, that had the most frustrated look, not knowing how to proceed.

"Sure, I'll ask them to prepare us a meal" her tone went from contentment to neutrality, on the edge of bitter.

Hestia walked fast but maintaining her posture, seeking the kitchen.

"What did you do to get her like that?" Borch said, laughing, giving a slight slap on Geralt's back.

"Sometimes I pay the price for my mouth" he practically grunted, following the path to the dinning room.

"Hestia has a hard time hearing no's, well, actually anyone that goes against what she believes and wants can suffer from the icy earl" he laughed "I hope you can help me with that, actually".

"how?" Geralt answered, not understanding how he could be of any help, since Hestia seemed pretty furious at him.

"because I'm about to go against her first principle and she might just well throw me through the window for that" they made a left turn, ending up in the dinning room.

"and that is?" Geralt waited for a response, as they all set on the table.

"you'll see" he finally gave his answer, which was non clarifying at all.

Hestia took a little longer to join in, but when she did, a feast started to come along, with many bottles of est est. She set down on the end of the table, pulling up her blue dress just a bit so she could sit more comfortable, then letting it go down again, after fitting in the chair. With her hand full of rings, a silver wolf, a bronze fox and a golden ring with a ruby in it, Hestia drank her first of many zips of Est Est, avoiding the best to not once gaze at Geralt.

° **°** °

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"I suppose you want me to tell you why I sought out such an busy Earl and now" he turned to face Geralt "an accomplished monster hunter".

"Don't trouble yourself on my account" Geralt was quickly to respond.

"I, on another hand, am deeply curious" she finally gazed at Geralt, but with more of a provocative look than anything else.

Borch was entertaining himself greatly by Geralt's and Hestia's little contest of who could be more of an asshole. He loved to watch romance unfold, especially the feisty ones, that was clearly the case. Borch could notice Hestia wanted and apology and Geralt was too stubborn and proud to do so.

"I knew I'd like you" Borch said to Geralt, who didn't seem impressed "Well, my dear Hestia, I think you will need a few more drinks before we can go straight to the point" he filled her cup and she drank fully.

"Is it money? I don't care about that" Hestia said, deeply intrigued. 

"No my dear, although you could make a lot with what I'll propose" he drank a lot himself.

"Are you searching for a place to stay? Because you can stay here I don't mind" she kept talking, wanting the answer so badly she was willing to drink an entire bottle just to get it.

"Drink, my dear" he pointed at the glass and she drank more.

"What? you want me to be stripping and crawling the walls before telling me what you're searching for?" she said, taking a long zip from the bottle itself "two more and I swear I'll be jumping naked on a frozen lake while singing silly ballads" she put the bottle down.

"Oh I missed that determined way of yours" Borch laughed, holding sweetly Hestia's hands "don't hate me".

"Oh no" she said, feeling a little drunk "what is it?".

"A red dragon landed across the border in Earl's Floki mounta-".

"A dragon?" you could see the sparkle on her eyes "I thought there were not one alive in Skellige anymore!" she was overjoyed by the news, Hestia dreamed of encountering a dragon since she was very little, since Tissaia would compare her to the red ones.

"I know what you're thinking" Borch tilted his head to look at Geralt, that was also filling himself on Est Est "Impossible, dragons are so rare, but it's true, Geralt of Rivia, Local spotted it and went after it in search of treasure, of course they only succeeded in wounding the creature and angering it so righteously that it swooped down from its lair and set half a hillside ablaze ".

"Shit" Hestia said, laying back on the chair, contemplative. 

"hm" geralt grunted.

"dead ship everywhere!" borch pointed out "Now the Earl is in a bind, he's set to marry the princess of his rival land, which means it's bad timing to have a... and I'm sorry to say this Hestia" he quickly gazed at Hestia, but then faced Geralt "a murderous pest lurking about in the mountains".

"murderous pest?" Hestia huffed, quickly gaining a defensive posture "murderous pest is fucking Floki, not a dragon that it's just trying to live it's life".

"and having fun making dead sheep tapestry" Geralt provoked her, receiving a deadly look.

"He's commended a hunt to kill it, four teams have signed on, the winner get's the dragon treasure hoard plus the title of lord over one of his new vassals state, that is, if he survives" Borch said "my sweetest Hestia, I came here to first, let you be aware of it, since I know you're interest in dragons and to also tell you I'm going to get my own team".

"What?" she increased her tone, standing up in pure anger "you know how I feel about murdering beasts, Borch".

"What about the dragon murdering?" Geralt once again provoked her, which resulted in an angry spell, making Geralt fly far from the table, while still sitting on the chair "fuck" he grunted.

"Here's the thing, Borch, I have no fucking idea of why you would do this to me and it truly hurts me to think you could do such horrendous thing" she took a deep breath, not wanting to lose her temper.

"There's more" he said, drinking from his glass "I want you and him" he pointed at Geralt that was standing up from his fall "to join my team".

"You have to be fucking with me" she let a anxious, incredulous laugh "have you lost your mind? has age made you go demented?" she took her glass, drinking more.

"You owe me, Hestia" Borch tried to say it in a way that didn't sound like blackmail "I helped you when you were in need, now it's time for you to repay, as you promised".

"Couldn't you ask me for anything else, Borch? Anything? I thought we were friends" Hestia hugged herself, holding her glass tight, knowing she had no escape from this situation.

"A debt is a debt and that is what I want" Borch said "I want you to escort me, that's only, you won't be doing any slaying, I promise you, just trust me".

"trust you?" she said, feeling her body heat.

"I'll even let you try to make the beast go away, you'll get you chance to save it's life, I promise".

"I can't d-" Hestia started to say, but was quickly interrupted by Geralt.

"I'm in" he said, picking up the chair on the floor and sitting on it, he took the glass of Est Est and drank some more.

"A witcher can't spend a day without murdering innocents, but not this time" she gazed at him "If he's in, then I'm in" Hestia held the glass so tight it seemed to be about to break in her own hand "you won't even get close to it".

"let's see it" Geralt had no intention at all to murder the beast, his intention was only to have more time with Hestia, to be able to talk to her and sort things off, he would never hurt her that way, when he promised he wouldn't slay any beast around her, and a promise is a promise. However, that was the only way, quickly thinking, that he found to be able to be next to Hestia and he would do anything to fix things with her, even if that meant her getting even more furious at him, for a while.

"Then it's settled, we'll leave tomorrow" Borch said "and you two, try not to get into each other throats while working".  
  


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	28. Am I Evil?

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"I hate you" was the first thing Hestia said in weeks towards Geralt, she had a big shiny, elven, expensive sword on her back, while wearing tight black paints and black long sleeve shirt. She still had her rings on her fingers, on top of her scarlet gloves, carrying a heavy bag. 

Hestia passed right through Geralt, she had a perfect posture, her back straight and her chin up. She seemed extremely determined and also very on the edge, as a lion just waiting to attack. 

"May I carry your bag for you, Emperor of the Continent?" Geralt provoked her, speeding his pace to be at the same as hers, but Hestia didn't face him, she kept walking, appearing even angrier.

"I really fucking hate you" she repeated herself, following the path to the harbor. Even stepping with such anger, she still seemed to be floating, so graceful and light, even with her expression telling the exact opposite.

"you're being redundant, I expected more of you" he said, standing just two steps behind her, even though she seemed way angrier than before, now she was at least talking to him, so he was achieving his goal.

Hestia suddenly stopped, which took the witcher by surprise, making him bump on her. She turned to face him fast, pushing him away with the point of her fingers.

"I hate you so much I wish I'd burn you to the ground" her eyes were bright red, but something changed on her way of speaking, her voice went just a little crooked, which was a big flag for Geralt, that all of that was superficial anger and she was appealing to obvious fake death threats in the effort of trying to impose her resentment. 

"Then why don't you do it then?" Geralt couldn't help to grin, with her eyes shinning as the sun hitting on a ruby, her cheeks reddish from the level of annoyance he was getting her too, the steady serious smile that at that moment had no impact in him whatsoever. Her hands were sweating and had no tone of red, which proved that all of that was a sort of act, if she was truly possessed by anger and wanted him dead, she would be burning from head to toe.

"Fuck off" she raised her hand in a closed fist, that when she opened her hand, Geralt flew away, not strong enough to hurt him, but sufficient to make him further away, which just made him laugh, knowing he was at least getting somewhere.

"you look cute when you're threatening to kill me" he said as she walked away, not looking back, with her middle finger up.

"I hate you!" she screamed among with the middle finger, however a small grin lied on her lips, involuntary, sincere.

° **°** °

° **°** °

They were all in the ship, drinking ale, waiting for it to leave, however, in a big surprise, a young man, in knight clothing, ran at full speed to enter the the ship. He made a big jump, landing with both feet on the wooden floor. Geralt quickly got on his feet, watching the sword on the man's hand, picking his own, prepared to intimidate the individual. 

The knight took his helmet off, showing himself. He had hypnotizing blue eyes, a shiny, silky blonde hair, perfectly aligned teeth, a strong defined body, the appearance any man would like to have, the beauty women seek in a man. At least that's what Geralt thought. He looked charming and lovable, just by his entrance you could notice he was not only a attention seeker but also a big romantic.

° **°** ° 

° **°** °

'Fuck me' Geralt thought, watching the man kneel in front of Hestia. He held her hand and leaned for a soft kiss, confusing everyone around, only Hestia seemed to know the man.

"Alexis du lac? What are you doing here?" she asked, visibly confused.

"My Earl, it's been so long, pardon me for the dramatic entrance, but I had to come" he said, finally standing up, both his hands holding hers, as Alexis gazed romantically into Hestia's eyes "I had to leave to Toussaint, however I never forgot you and your sweet smile" he gently caressed her cheek.

"Smile?" Geralt questioned but was completely ignored.

"What are you doing here Alexis? I thought you were...".

"In Toussaint, yes, doing my honorable work as a knight, however, I couldn't bear to stay away any longer, so I came to visit you, but when I arrived in your home, you weren't laying in our bed...".

"our bed?" Geralt interrupted again, putting back his sword while starting to get irritated.

"But why are you here?" she repeated her question a bit annoyed on how Alexis always made conversations longer and more dramatic than it should.

"Well, to escort you, my love" he said, as the answer was so obvious.

"But I'm here to escort him" she pointed at Borch, visibly confused.

"Well I'm escorting you escorting him" he smiled, depositing a soft kiss on the corner of Hestia's lips, that was clearly not understanding a thing "and who are you, white haired...man?" Alexis turned to face Geralt.

"why do you care, blondie?" he answered, rude, in a intimidating tone.

"He's the famous Geralt of Rivia" Borch answered Alexis question "and if I were you I'd be careful".

"A witcher?" Alexis laughed "isn't your kind pretty much extinct? And for what I remember Singrid hates monsters slayers". 

"I really do" she set down on a barril, watching men being stupid, as always.

"She seemed to like me just enough" Geralt also set down.

"Well, she told me I was her best, her most beloved" Alexis squatted down, looking at Geralt in the eye "how does it feel to sleep where some other man slept so many times?".

"Why do you all hate me so much?" Hestia whispered, facing the sky, speaking to the gods.

"Don't care about the past, who sleeps there now?" he replied, face to face with Alexis.

"NO ONE" She yelled, standing up "you two can keep discussing who's cock is bigger, I'm going to take a nap before my brain suffers more from male stupidity presence, it's too much for a day" she turned her back, walking to the other side of the ship.

"I shall accompany you my lady!" Alexis said, but was quickly stopped by Hestia's spell, making him fall away.

"Favorite trick of hers" Geralt said to Borch and they both laughed.

° **°** °

° **°** °

The rest of the trip went almost in full silent. It took a day and a night to arrive at their destiny. Hestia hid in the only small room on the ship, laying on the thin mattress on the floor. The water usually made her that way, moody and isolated, what one day used to be her sanctuary, turned into her worst nightmare, filled the most terrifying memories of her life, as Letus made sure to use water as the main way to torture her, knowing it made her powers less strong. For many days she would be sunk in a water tank, with only her face out, so she could breath. She'd had to fight to float enough to be able to have precious, survival, air. Letus would shove her face into buckets and use spells to make a bubble that covered her face with water until almost passing out.

Hestia would think sometimes, how crazy it was that she lived in an island, surrounded by water, one of her greatest fears.

With her sword laying next to her and a blanked wrapped tight around her, Hestia watched as the bottles rolled from one side to another, with the up and down movement of the sea.

"What would you do if you were queen?" a voice she missed dearly spoke a couple steps away.

"I'd burn everything down, kill all beasts and humans and set fire to babies, eating them on a stick because I'm a fucking monster" she replied, not really wanting to talk. 

"set fire to babies? you really are cruel" he joked, stepping closer.

"yes, haven't you noticed?" she turned, still laying on the floor, looking up at the presence of the witcher "I'm so cruel, so mean, I bathe on innocents blood and eat human flesh" she replied, moody.

Geralt set down by her side, facing her. Their eyes met for the first time in days and for a moment Hestia felt weak, wanting to swallow her pride and her angst. 

"what else do you do, oh monstrous beast?" he said, using magic to light the only candle in the room. He faced Hestia's "besides fucking creepy knights?" that, unfortunately for Hestia, made her chuckle, instantly making her regret opening her mouth in first place. Her pose was starting to fall a part, piece by piece and she couldn't understand why Geralt was the one with the words to make her crumble. For a moment she regretted saving his life, she hated falling apart over the voice of a witcher, as if he casted a spell she did not know how to undo and was now stuck forever into his embrace. If he was dead, the bond wouldn't be real and fate wouldn't be able to control her anymore, she'd follow her path and nothing would stop her. 

However, was she in the right path at all? Is doing anything with the urge for revenge, right? Is it possible that revenge can guide to you greatness, while still maintaining your principles? Or was revenge her true decay? 

It mesmerized Hestia how his arrival made all the things she was so sure, now to be so...unsure. Her plans seemed greedy and full of holes, her dreams seemed guided by the wrong motivations, her desires made new path with different branches and for the first time in her life things felt much...lighter, as if she didn't have to carry justice on her back by herself, that she didn't have to take Cintra, as if she could just live life, not always crushed by responsibilities and moral obligations she created herself. Even though she still wanted to be free, now her plan to do so was fuzzy, blurred, was she doing it the right way? Or is there a better way to do so?

"Yohanna says I have a terrible taste in man" Hestia replied, still laying down, her hair was messy, all over the place, even touching Geralt's leg, very softy. Her eyes were back to that magenta tone, not the anger bright red one, which meant he was doing better. She had one hand behind her head, using it as a pillow and the other resting on her belly "maybe she is right" she whispered, grinning.

"Human man, for sure" Geralt replied, taking a strand of her hair and wrapping it on his finger "why do you have such long hair?" he asked, gazing at the hair strand wrapped on his fingers.

"They wouldn't let me have long hair in Aretuza" she replied, watching Geralt play with the edges of her hair "they said my red hair was terrifying, so the less the better" she closed her eyes, remembering for a second, then opening it to gaze back into Geralt's strong fingers on her delicate hair "so when I left and met Fiona,she had this big, voluminous, blonde hair, I thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world, so I felt free to let my hair grow and now it is the size of a seven year old" she joked, however her smile died quickly, as memories rotted her happiness once again "why do you have long hair?".

"If I cut it, it just grows back faster than you think so it's a waste of time".

"I like it though".

"Hestia, are you free?" he asked, wrapping more and more hair on his finger.

"why do you care? Aren't I just another greedy, power freak for you? why care if I'm free or not? A power obsessed mage?" she asked, ruthless, piercing right into Geralt's progress.

"I've never met a good person sitting on a throne and I've been everywhere, Hestia" he replied, sincere as always.

"Do you think I'm evil?" her voice said it all, disappointment, sadness, pain, as tears filled her eyes and fell by the sides of her face.

"No, I never said that" he quickly responded, getting closer to Hestia "I believe power is the one to blame, it changes people".

"I have a lot of power" she set down, facing him so closely their images of each other were almost blurred "am I evil?".

"There's a difference between being a queen and having what you have".

"I'm not Calanthe"

"But you might as well turn into her" he tried to touch her, but she didn't allow "you're good, you're kind, you do good deeds, you're what all kings and queens should be, but that's not how it works" he sighed "and you care too much what other people think of you".

"I care of what you think of me" she replied "even if I shouldn't, I do and it's a fucking burden" she shut her eyes gently "how to you make me feel this way? fuck" she stepped back, covering her face.

"like what?" he asked, trying to make her escape her own hands.

"nothing Geralt, just forget it" she stood up "this is not going to work".

"like what, Hestia?" he said, also standing up, right behind her "how do I make you feel?" his hands, slowly and gently, followed the path of her arms, embracing her sweetly.

"why are you still here, Geralt?" she whispered, but before he could reply, Borch yelled.

"Hestia! there's a surprise here for you!".

Hestia quickly raced to the outside of the room, using that as an excuse to escape that discussion, the thoughts, it was her way out of falling into his arms once again. 

With tears still streaming down her face, Hestia followed Borch to the edge of the boat, as he pointed to the sea.

And there it was, a sweet, wet bard, with his lute on his back, waving at her.

"AM I TOO LATE?" he yelled, smiling.

"JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS!" She yelled back, with such joy on her voice it filled Borch heart with care, as Téa threw a rope at Jaskier.

"HOW AM I SUPOSE TO CLIMB A BOAT WITH A ROPE? I HAVE NO BALANCE FOR THAT WHATS-".

"Oh Jaskier" Hestia laughed opening a portal right in front of him "just go!" and he did, with the most terrified face Hestia had ever seen, putting a foot first and then the rest of the body while yelling 'fuck!fuck!fuck!".

Finally he was standing right in front of her, the best friends reunion they both hoped for so long. In their embrace there was nothing but love and happiness, in the tightest hug they've ever been too. 

Jaskier took one look around, seeing Geralt standing in the back, in a mist of confusion and joy.

"OH YES!" Jaskier said, almost jumping from such happiness, as a little kid would do "BEST FRIENDS REUNION FUCK YEAH".

° **°** °


	29. Golden Dragon's aren't Real

° **°** °

° **°** °

After many hugs and a bunch of words cried out loud that no one, but Jaskier and Hestia, could understand, things started to calm down, as Hestia smile lingered and joy overloaded her heart with pure joy, to finally re-encounter her good old friend.

"you look just stunning, my friend!" Jaskier said, holding the redhead's hand very gently "it seems like you haven't aged a single day" they both smiled "and that scent? uh! still strong as ever, little sparkles" the way Jaskier talked about her scent made Hestia fall into laughter, knowing how he always teased her about it, 'what sort of being smells like a pie!' he'd joke, 'rosemary and thyme'.

"and you still smell like women, dandelion" she teased him back "of pussy and booze" she gave him a slight slap on the arm and Jaskier pretended he knew nothing of it.

Looking at Jaskier was just like gazing right into the past. He barely changed, making it easier to recall everything that happened, the nights of dancing and drinking, the long conversations and dilemmas about love and life, the smell of beer and the view of Novigrad, good times when life was easier, well, at least not as hard as the beginning and not as lonely as the present. She could still see it, Jaskier and Fiona, in each others embrace, laughing and showing affection. How Jaskier would always say how excited he was for the day that Hestia would fall in love and he'd finally write the ballads of the burning love of the goddess fire. Fiona on the other side just let her be, hoping she'd heal enough to one day be able to trust again.

How many times Hestia wondered about how love felt, true love. She believed what happened with Yennefer was young love, the one that's filled with passion but fades away, also she could never forgive Yennefer for betraying her. Hestia wanted what Jaskier and Fiona had, her ideal of love was nothing more, nothing less than what she saw.

Hestia drifted deep into her thoughts, while still gazing into Jaskier figure, completely dissociating from reality, emerging into a past she couldn't change, no matter how hard she tried.

"Geralt!" Jaskier yelled, finally finding his friend, by the other side of the ship, resting against it's wood "I can see you made it, I'm glad you survived, but you are pretty much immortal so" the bard walked closer to his friend, as they hugged, lightly.

"I made it, almost dead but" he joked.

"I can see that now you understand everything I said about her, since, since well, she's still alive" he smiled, a bit nervous "thank you".

Geralt didn't respond to that, deflecting from that topic.

"And what are you doing here?" Geralt asked.

"Well, many things happened since our last conversation, including my very insistent curiosity to see if you were still alive and well if Hestia was still alive too. So I ended up visiting Serena in Cintra, she told me a bunch of things which I understood...half, I guess? maybe a bit less I don't know she's very mysterious you know, clairvoyant and all" he laughed, excited "and don't worry, roach is very happy and healthy eating stuff that she shouldn't from the garden in Cintra and sleeping well in the stable, I think she's fine, Serena said she's fine, I know nothing of horses whatsoever, very weird creatures, big noses and all, Serena is really good with horses, did you know that? She's like...a horse whisper or something and..."

"Get to the point Jaskier" Geralt cut him off, helping him focus since the bard had a strong tendency to lose focus and talk about things no one cared. But he was happy to know Roach fine.

"She told me where you were so I came after you! And when I literally just arrived in Skellige I saw you and Hestia sailing...off" he said, showing the exhaustion of chasing them down "I am not good with boats, Geralt, I believe I might have started a hate for them just after this adventure".

"you were, sailing?" Geralt raised his eyebrow "in the middle of the night...to get, here" Geralt seemed oddly confused.

"Yes and well" he approached Geralt closer, whispering next to his ear, making Geralt instantly step away from Jaskier with the angriest face "having you seen those two?" he looked at the women with Borch "just...so beautiful".

"some things really never change, ruh" he commented, letting a soft smirk escape his grumpy face.

° **°** °

° **°** °

Hestia isolated herself for a bit, gazing into nothingness, holding the edge of the boat while observing the waves shaking the ship. Her eyes seemed watery and her body moves nonexistent, as the wind danced with her long hair. It didn't take long for Jaskier to run to her side like a puppy, blabbing non stop about how the last years were. They caught up, telling so many stories that their mouths went dry and for a moment Hestia felt so relaxed, her muscles didn't seem so tense anymore.

"What about him?" Jaskier finally asked, curious to know the story between the two of them "Geralt has a history with mages and you're one so...did you fall into his witcher bad guy tough man arms?" he teased her, definitely excited to hear it, because he noticed as soon as he jumped in the ship that there was something going on, just by the way Geralt looked at Hestia.

"Why are you so nosy?" she smiled "I'm alive, he didn't kill me, isn't that enough for you?".

"how am I suppose to write your love ballad with close to zero information?" he smirked.

"Love ballad?" Hestia laughed loud "you're delusional" her eyes kept looking forwards.

"you won't look me in the eye because you like him and you know I know you, ha! I love being right!" Jaskier rested his back on the ship "he's looking at you".

Hestia tried to slowly look behind her and the white wolf wasn't there.

"Fuck you" she cursed, feeling stupid.

"HA! I'm always right about love".

"you're a pain in my ass, worse than Geralt" she rolled her eyes, trying to hold the smile that was about to escape her lips.

"you love me and you know it, _Singrid_ " he put emphases on her fake name.

"your ego is so big it's suffocating me" she replied.

"And you also love geraaaaalt!".

"fuck you, Dandy".

° **°** °

The rest of the trip was quick and quiet. When they finally arrived at the isle of Earl Floki the weather was nice, for Skellige at least. The snow was thin and the cold bearable. They walked a long way before getting to the beginning of the mountain, where the other groups had also just arrived.

"Those dwarfs will be part of the hunt" Borch pointed at the group that were cursing and yelling and laughing.

"Geralt could handle them in his sleep" Jaskier said, as if he was talking about himself, way too confident and way too proud.

"FUCKING RIGHT" one of the dwarfs yelled and started an ugly fight with the other one, blood was flying in just a few seconds.

"oh yes" Hestia said, sarcastically, her arms crossed and a smile of joy in a mouth full of sarcasm "in his dreams maybe".

Geralt just watched, maintaining his silence.

"or maybe a little bit awake" Jaskier added, watching as the fight was about to end.

"Then there are the Reavers" Teá said, looking at a group of men.

"Disguising men I wish would just drop dead with their cocks in their mouths" Hestia added, as one of them stared nasty at her "fucking assholes" she took a deep breath, slight turning her face towards Geralt "Have you heard of them, witcher?".

"Yes" he answer, in his most constant tone, serious. He looked at her, enjoying those last few seconds of her eyes gazing into his, before she looked forwards again "this is going to be great" he said full of sarcasm.

"No one made you come" were Hestia's last words, before walking towards Alexis, slightly caressing the man's arm, with a warm, but fake smile.

"Fuck" Geralt said, almost in a whisper.

Borch started to walk, Geralt by his side as silence took in for a second, Hestia walking with her arms crossed with Alexis, Jaskier trying to flirt with Teá and Veá and the groups also starting the walk.

"I know you feel it just the same as me" Borch started to talk, gazing into the wilderness "that hole inside of you, that itch that can't be scratched, that burns your brain, keeps you awake at night" he took a deep breath "but for some reason you decide to not fill that void, even with the answer right in front of you".

"I hate puzzles" Geralt grunted "but what I hate more is being read by someone who know nothing of me".

"you worry if you blink you'll never see her again." Borch said, as they both stared at the view of a giggly Hestia next to another man "you're in love with her".

° **°** °

° **°** °

"or the danger here isn't the dragon" Geralt tried to convince himself of the imminent truth.

"you mean Singrid?" Borch giggled.

"No" he stared at the blonde.

"Alexis?" he laughed harder "he seems to proud to be of any danger".

"don't doubt anyone or anything, Singrid herself is incredibly dangerous".

"Incredibly powerful yes, but dangerous?" he replied "anyhow, you aren't scared of anything".

"ruh, then you don't know Singrid".

° **°** °

"what happened here?" Jaskier asked, as everyone observed the view of destruction, by fire and hate.

Hestia was sitting down on her legs, being able to smell the ash out of the soil. A childish smile formed on her face, as she touched the dirt. She was the only one smiling there and everyone found it incredibly odd, but Geralt knew what that smile meant, it was her love and obsession for dragons turning from a possibility to a belief. It was heartwarming, her silly smile and how amused she seemed by what a sight of destruction looked alike. Geralt was also amazed by how blind Hestia could be, by putting beasts first, sometimes she completely ignored the damage they could make and that humans also deserved care and the chance to be free.

"Dragons avoid people" Geralt said, still observing Hestia "it should have left when they attacked, I don't get it, why the retaliation?" the witcher was incredibly confused.

"when your species is on the verge of collapse, perhaps everything becomes more desperate" Borch replied.

Geralt thought about how Borch's words fitted so well into the description of Hestia and as he gazed into her, Geralt got worried about her, the obsession for power, the thirst for revenge, the hatred for humans, for the ones that took everything she ever loved. She was like a dragon, about to be extinct, but fighting so hard to stay alive it was admirable, however, alarming. How much is too much to stay alive? What is a person, or a beast, willing to do, for survival?

"I'm hungry, is anyone else hungry?" the voice of Jaskier in the distant awakened Hestia from her dream. She looked back, as Jaskier walked to a bunch of bushes, searching for something "there's something back here!" Jaskier yelled, immediately searching with his eyes for Geralt "hello little fellow, aren't you just the cutest...most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my entire life" he's tone quickly changed from cute to scared "run away, run away, GERALT?" his voice was shacking as he stepped back "it's one of your friends again!" Jaskier ran as further as he could, not being aware of Hestia 'kill no beast' principle.

"what in the name of Bloemenmadge is that?" one of the dwarfs said, as Hestia ran quick to reach the beast.

"Its a hirikka" Geralt and Hestia said at the same time, giving a look to each other and then running to approach the beast.

"if you kill it I swear t-" but before she could finish her sentence, Alexis stabbed the poor beast in the guts.

"FOR KINGDOM AND GLORY" he screamed, proud.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Hestia yelled as the hirikka cried in pain.

Hestia was about to use a spell to make Alexis fly the fuck away, when Geralt pulled the man, throwing him on the ground, about to hit him.

"Stop it and help me for fucks sake!" Hestia yelled, after hearing the first punch, already making Alexis bleed from the nose.

With both her hands on the beast stomach, Hestia's eyes started to fill with tears, as she heard Geralt say "if we'd feed it, it would've gone away" he threw Alexis back on the ground.

"It was DANGEROUS" Alexis cried, holding his nose "we only let good beast alive, right, Singrid?" Alexis tried to face Hestia, but she was too busy trying to help the hirikka.

"IT WASN'T FUCKING DANGEROUS" Hestia cried, looking back at Alexis, her body irradiating warmth and her eyes started to glow and in a quick way to try to keep Hestia's identity still secret, Geralt came and kneel behind her, hiding her body.

"Breath" he said, calmly, still standing behind her, his body getting warmer with her body so close to his. Geralt took a quick look at her eyes, tears falling without her even noticing, the blue starting to fade, letting her truthful, red eyes, show "breath and do what you have to do".

His voice brought her back to reality, easing her mind enough to remember what words to pronounce and with her eyes closed, Hestia pronounced the spell, that stopped the blood from getting out, healing the deep wound. And it mesmerized him, how powerful and confident she was, how she cared nothing about what other people believed of her, enough to save what many find obnoxious, without thinking twice.

The touch of his hand on her back brought Hestia back to reality. Her breathing started to normalize, even though her heart was still pounding on her chest. She felt serene, while his hand still lingered on her back, so sure all was going to be alright. 

Hestia slowly opened her eyes, tears on her hands and the wound closed. She felt both dizzy and sleepy, using healing powers were the most tiring of them all. Things seemed in slow motion as she almost fell to stand up. She rubbed her hands against her face, trying to feel awake again, as her body begged for a rest. She swallowed the exhausting, using it as gasoline for her force. From her pocket, she took a vial containing a clear blue liquid and drank it, making an expression of pain an disgust, she knew way, the thing had the worst taste and it burned like a bitch, however it was very efficient, turning her eyes blue again in a a blink of an eye, an eye that belonged to Geralt and watched intrigued her every move.

The Burning Witch turned to face all of the people, that were staring at her with confusion.

"If anyone here touches another beast, I'll burn you from the inside out" her expression was of pure rage, as her muscles started to tense up again. So she stormed off, walking on a fast, heavy pace, to the top of the hill.

"What does she expect us to do with the dragon then? ruh?" a dwarf exclaimed.

° **°** °


	30. Lullaby of Woe

° **°** °

_Wolves asleep amidst the trees_   
_Bats all a swaying in the breeze  
But one soul lies anxious wide awake  
Fearing no* manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths  
For your dolly Polly sleep has flown  
Don't dare let her tremble alone  
For the witcher, heartless, cold  
Paid in coin of gold  
He comes he'll go leave naught behind  
But heartache and woe_

**Lullaby of Woe**

° **°** °

° **°** °

It was the second day of the hunt. Hestia had been in complete silence for most of the walk, ignoring anyone that tried to approach her, including Jaskier. Her pace was calm and her face showed no expression at all, serious and cold as ice. One hand rested on her chest, close to her heart, as the other supported the elbow of the other hand. She was grieving, for the cold murder, for the loss of the beast, for not being able to keep her promise to not let one be harmed. 

Her pride was hurt and her mind was still fuzzy and tired, since she couldn't close her eyes, as her mind raced by the night, away from Geralt. 

She wanted to just give up and lay next to him, just to be able to fall asleep as fast as a kid, but once again, her pride talked louder than her sense, making her suffer more than she should, something that Hestia did many times, without even noticing. Only the gods knew how bad she needed a good night of sleep.

"Singrid" Jaskier slightly touched her shoulder, bringing Hestia back to reality "the dwarfs know a short path, are you ready to go?".

"Always" was her response, putting her sword on the back.

Hestia felt out of reality, her mind was ignoring the voices around her and her body was doing everything on an automatic mode, no thoughts were put into anything from that point on. She'd whistle to the birds on the path, imagining how it would be to fly, that thought led to her thinking about dragons. To fly around and possess such immense power, to fly and be free with fire in your core, maybe if she had wings she'd be a dragon.

Tissaia told her once about dragons, not imagining how much it would impact Hestia and as a kid, she'd draw dragons on papers and the walls, she'd jump on the bed, pretending to fly, with the window wide open for the breeze to make the experience even more real. Could she be a dragon? In her dreams maybe.

Maybe it would be easier to not look so human, to have no way to hide yourself, to be able to portray what a human is, maybe if she was a dragon she'd get the freedom that she dreamed of so much.

"Singrid please forgive me for my terrible mis-" Alexis started to talk, obligating Hestia to come back to reality.

"Get the fuck away from me" she said, aggressive, her patience for stupid men and the foolishness of prejudice and testosterone had reached the level of no return, leaving her with only bitterness.

Still feeling almost as she was drunk or high, Hestia kept walking ignoring everything and everyone, when they finally arrived the view of the side of a cliff terrified most of them, her eyes followed the long, narrow, dangerous path, that screamed death, a quick one, at least. Hestia looked down, not being able to see the ground, as a dense fog crossed just under her feet. She watched, as the fog slid under her boots, making her way to who knows where. 

"are you alright?" his damn voice, slippery enough for her to fall on the care of his tone, to close her eyes on the delight of his worry. Was it possible? Possible that he truly cared about a beast? she thought, 'a beast and a witcher' just to think of it, it made her giggle 'how unique, ruh'.

"I'm fine" she replied apathetic. Hestia took one more step, towards the trail, her legs feeling a bit weak. If only she didn't have to save the damn animal, she'd be just alright. For a quick second she tripped, Geralt immediately picked her arm, helping her stand up.

"are you sure?" he insisted on the question, observing how Hestia refused to appear weak, even with her body showing signs of exhaustion.

"I just don't want to kill a fucking dragon".

"you won't" he said, before she joined the other on the edge of the cliff.

"this really is a short cut, a short cut to _DEATH_ " Jaskier was the first to demonstrate how scared he was, holding tight on the cold rocks.

"you wanna beat the reavers or not?" the dwarf said.

"we should turn back" Geralt pointed out, still observing Hestia.

"I won't let them get to the dragon first" Hestia walked fast, pulling Jaskier by the arm to the path "just trust me okay? I won't let you fall" she gave two slaps on Jaskier's back, making the man almost trip.

"Yeah I bet you won't" he replied full of fear.

"have you pissed your pants already?" she provoked, putting her foot on the wooden, unreliable platform "fuck".

"yeah we are going to die, see?".

"Shut up Jaskier".

The chains were cold to hold on to, but luckily for Hestia, her gloves were thick enough. It was impossible to have a steady walk, but she tried her best to, the planks were too unstable and just to see that fog...her heart was racing. 

"OH FUCK ME" Jaskier yelled, as he almost fell, stepping on a loose plank.

"be careful for fuck sake!" Hestia said, holding the back of his shirt, only letting it go when he was steady enough again.

"oh that is NOT a good sign" Jaskier kept complaining.

"This is not an adventure for a bard" Hestia said "I told you, you can't be reckless if you're a fucking bard!".

"yeah yeah and how am I suppose to write my ballads?".

"BY ASKING PEOPLE THEIR ADVENTURES JASKIER".

The crack noises of the wooden platforms were horrifying, adding to the already fucked up atmosphere that "we are going to die". However, they kept going and going until a loud noise came from behind. Hestia quickly turned around, in a natural instinct to grab Geralt. Her hand was on his chest, holding so tight her nails stabbed through his shirt. Her eyes were wide open as she realized they were both going to die. 

Geralt held as tight as he could to the chains Borch, Veá and Teá were holding on to, the only way for them to not fall into certain death. He got further away from Hestia, trying to get a better grab of the chains and more stability on his feet to save them. Hestia hand was now on his arm, slippery, imprecise, useless.

 _ **Desperate**_ , that's how she felt. Completely, absolutely, undeniably, desperate. Her hands were shaking as her grip got loose and her hand sunk in the cold cliff. Her eyes locked on Geralt's face, her heart beating so hard she could feel it pounding in her head. Her mouth went dry and everything became blurred, but him.

"GERALT" she cried, trying to get closer.

"GET BACK" he yelled, looking quickly, but firm into her eyes and in those few seconds, he saw her pain, screaming through her eyes.

"Sir witcher, you will save us yet" Borch said, catching Hestia attention "but first you must let go".

"No!" he grunted, as the forced exercised in a motion down made his entire body seem it was about to burst into two pieces.

"NO BORCH!" Hestia screamed, wanting to do something, however, being completely impotent.

A loud crack came from Geralt's feet, as the platform was about to collapse.

"GERALT" She yelled once again, trying her harder to get a grip of him, but once again, useless.

"thank you" Borch said calmly, first at Geralt, then at Hestia and so he let go, falling into the fog, completely fading into nothingness, into death.

"BORCH" Hestia scream was so high pitched, the pain was audible on her shaky, rusty cords, as she sunk her head on the rock, yelling 'fuck' non stop.

° **°** °

The last night of the hunt Hestia set up her tent, by using magic she could make the room way bigger than it appeared to be, having her own bed. She stayed for a while, gazing into the view. The big sea, the waves crashing, the mountains so tall, remembering her of the tales she heard of mountains being giants asleep and she thought "how would it be to be asleep for years, decades, centuries?". 

A lump on her throat was a sign she wanted to cry, but she didn't, not one tear was dropped, as she recalled Borch. Her heart ached, so bad it gave her shortness of breath, so she tried her every method to handle her anxiety, her fear.

"breath" she whispered to herself "breath".

Why was she so desperate? How did it get to the point of the possibility of losing him made her lose her mind? How did she let the fear overrule her? Overcome her confidence? Her belief of independence?

Hestia wanted to scream at the gods, curse them for putting Geralt on her path, for bonding them without a care.It took her so long to have peace, well, at least the illusion of peace, then why would destiny put Geralt in her life right at that point? Better, how dare destiny do that to her? After everything it made her go through, wasn't she worthy of happiness? Of peace?

Tired of overthinking and exhausted still, Hestia followed her way to her tent, grabbing a book to read a bit more of dragons, trying to find a loop hole to save them from extinction, when a low noise of her tent being opened caught her attention.

"Hi" Geralt said, feeling his palms starting to get sweaty, his eyes locked into hers, finally red again, with her index finger laying on the page.

"hi" she replied, trying to read his intentions " do you need anything?" she questioned, trying not to fall in the trick of his charming eyes. She was still feeling a bit sick from everything that happened, so the fighting against her mind was harder than ever.

"I just wanted to check if you are alright" he replied a bit shy, which was odd for her to hear.

"I'm still fine" she responded, looking back to her book, impatient.

"okay then" Geralt turned his back, about to leave.

She just couldn't believe he was about to leave, he'd been fighting to be around her so bad the past days and now he would just give up? That caught Hestia off guard, so sure he was still going to insist, until they got into a big argument and resolving things by fucking, but no, he really was two steps from being out of the tent. Had he completely given up on her? Was she being too harsh on him? Maybe he just thought she wasn't worth all the trouble. "Shit" she thought, cursing herself for opening her mouth too wide that words were able to escape the prison she had made for them.

"I thought I was going to lost you back there" it was much worse than she imagined, so much worse, with the choice of words, a choice that made her look needy and that showed way too much how she cared for him, which for her might have being a mistake, however, for Geralt, it was enough to put a little smile on his lips, a one he made fade away the moment he turned back to face her.

"were you afraid?" he asked, taking a couple steps closer, putting his black bag on the ground.

"afraid of what?" she replied with a question, facing the book again, trying to hide her feeling behind words about dragons and their fire.

"of my possible death" he got closer and closer, standing right in front of her, however, Hestia insisted in hiding behind her book, even though no words on those pages were making sense anymore.

"why do you ask?" was her quickest response.

"Well, because I was afraid you'd die over a griffin" once again Hestia was taken by surprise, swooped of her feet by a side of Geralt she was confused, but amazed by, a confident and extremely caring witcher.

"I thought witchers had no feelings" she finally put the book down, looking up into his golden eyes.

"they say whatever justifies despising our kind" he responded, as Hestia stood up, walking towards the bookshelf, to put the book back in it's place "just how they do to you".

"It's different" she replied, with her hands still on the book "they don't send witchers to kill you, do they?" she huffed "you are free, in your own way".

"I don't believe free is the right word" he then set down on the chair Hestia was in just a few seconds ago.

"don't you chose to be a witcher?" Hestia was confused, turning to face him, but he was facing the other way, sitting with the back to her.

"we don't chose to be witchers, don't believe anyone would agree freely to this life".

"huh" she grunted, walking towards Geralt, resting her hand on the top of the chair, right next to his shoulder "my adoptive mother would sing me a lullaby before bed, about witchers, have you ever heard it?".

"How does it go?" he looked up, facing her complexion.

"It's called Lullaby of Woe, it goes something like this" she coughed a bit, clearing her throat and so she sang:

_"Wolves asleep amidst the trees  
Bats all a swaying in the breeze  
But one soul lies anxious wide awake  
Fearing no* manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths  
For your dolly Polly sleep has flown  
Don't dare let her tremble alone"_

Hestia slid her hand, passing by his shoulder, down to his heart, feeling it pound against the palm of her hand, as she kept singing:

_For the witcher, **heartless** , **cold**  
Paid in coin of gold  
He comes he'll go leave naught behind  
But **heartache** and **woe**  
Deep, deep woe_

_Birds are silent for the night_   
_Cows turned in as daylight dies_   
_But one soul lies **anxious wide awake**_   
_Fearing no manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths_   
_My dear dolly Polly shut your eyes_   
_Lie still, lie silent, utter no cries_   
_As the witcher, **brave** and **bold**_   
_Paid in coin of gold_   
_He'll chop and slice you_   
_Cut and dice you_   
_Eat you up whole_   
_Eat you whole_

She stood right in front of him, as she sang the end of the song. Her eyes were locked on his, those golden eyes with that strip of black, not deflecting for a second, with no fear of the redness that swallowed any choice for empathy from others. No one would stare that much into her eyes, most people would avoid just a quick look, even Tissaia and Yennefer felt a bit uncomfortable around those bloody eyes, but not Geralt, he gaze was intense, impenetrable, piercing and so fucking real.

"I guess we both have songs that miss the truth about us" was the first things she thought of saying "I'm a beast that slays evil and malicious and you are the beast slayer, heartless and cold" her hand was resting on his knee, slowly caressing it.

"what a pair" he said, watching as Hestia rested her head on his thigh.

"Tell me, witcher" she chuckled "what would you do if not be a witcher? A farmer? A mercenary? A fisherman?".

"I'm still trying to figure out" was his response, confusing Hestia.

"what do you mean by that?" she questioned.

Geralt took both of her hands, making her stand up with him. Their bodies were close again, their eyes still locked, her arms resting on his chest and his hands caressing her arms, from the shoulder to the pulse.

"you and your stupid no kill rule are making things very hard for me to stay" he replied "I guess if I can't kill beast, I'll have to find something else to do with myself" his hand traveled to her jaw, as his thumb rubbed gently against her cheek.

"I don't understand" her complexion screamed confusion and her heart rate was as fast as as if she was running. He held her wrist, feeling her pulse, while slowly, but steady, pressing his forehead against hers.

"You're going to have a heart attack" he chuckled, feeling her heartbeat on the edge of his thumb.

"My heart is just fine" she said, but he could feel her breathing getting heavier as the air traveled from her mouth to his neck, hot and rapid.

"Bodies don't lie, mouths do" his hands went once again to her face, holding it so gently, he still felt as her body was as delicate as porcelain, that if he squeezed too hard she'd break in his big, strong hands, it was by the way she walked, so graceful, how her moves were always so gentle, how her skin was so soft, that her body demonstrated nothing but fragility, the complete opposite of how she was on the inside and how she portrayed herself in front of other "that scent" he could feel his entire body calming down when her scent finally hit him ruthless.

° **°** °

° **°** °

"are you already sick of it?" she asked, a bit afraid of the question.

"I couldn't, even if I wanted to" he replied, hallucinating with that scent.

"Just like you can't kill me, even if you wanted to?" she opened her eyes and got just a bit away, enough to be able to look at him and he did the same "just as you told me when you arrived?".

"Yes" he took a strand of her hair away from her face.

"why did you come, Geralt? If you had given up on killing me, if you believe I'm not a hideous monster, why to go through all this trouble for?" she took a deep breath, sinking her head on his chest, next to her hands, she was exhausted and his embrace made her feel safe and warm, enough to bring her calmness back and sleep to knock on her door "and why stay at all".

"Hestia" she just loved whenever he said her real name "I might have figured out why I came and why I stayed" he lifted her face, having her gaze at him.

"why?" her voice was bathed in curiosity, aching to know the answer.

"I came for you" was the answer she never expected to hear, but there he was, pronouncing it "I first thought I came here for a contract, but it was enough just to look at you to know the truth and even though I denied to you, to myself, I came for you and I'm still here for only one reason" he took a deep breath "because I want to be with you" that last touch felt like an arrow sinking on her heart, aching, burning and the only solution to kill the pain was his lips on hers, his arms around her, his embrace, his scent, himself, for her.

° **°** °

° **°** °


	31. Sweet Dreams

° **°** °

° **°** °

_His cold blade, passing sharp on her wet back, following the natural path of her spine, that felt like it was about to break in half. The sweat dripping on the floor, crawling from her ankle all the way to her neck, from her shoulders. Her body hanging upside down, with her legs being the only thing holding her from falling, as her knees, folded around a wooden stick, put her in a horrendous position. Her hands tied up, close to her knees, with ropes that teared her thin skin, making blood slowly and in small amounts to run down her arms._

_That pounding on her head, unstoppable, following her tired heartbeat as all her blood rushed to her brain, making her dizzy, disoriented, weak. Her position letting her vulnerable to torture, to anything, hanging there, naked._

_Hestia heard a new noise, as if little wheels were coming closer to her. She turned her face, trying to see what was coming, hoping that would some how minimize the damage._

_A tank, full of water, being placed right under her. One man on each side of it, taking her down, cutting the ropes. For a moment she thought she'd be free._

_"It's impressive how her body is still warm even when weakened" Letus said, writing something down "truly impressive" he put the notebook down "let's see if it cools down with water"._

_One hand was pulled harshly, wrapped in chains, on one side of the tank, the same was done to both her feet and her other hand._

_The water was cold, freezing and the termal shock made her shiver intensely. Her body sinking as she tried to swim, but unable to do so, thanks to the chains. The only part of her body above water was her face, enough for her to breath._

_"Sink her face for as long as possible, then let her breath, then sink again in half an hour" Letus smiled "let's still see if you're good with fire after that" was the last words she heard before Letus, with his big hand, sunk her face into the water, as she screamed, struggling to escape his grip._

"Hestia" a voice, far away, tried to bring her back "Hestia, wake up!" his hands were on her face, as her sweaty body struggled to wake up, he called her name one more time and her eyes finally opened, looking all around, disoriented "it's okay, you're safe" she finally looked into his eyes, noticing her hands were holding his arm tight, then letting it go, gently.

"I'm sorry" she said, looking at the red mark on his arm "I'm really sorry" she tried to get away, but he held her hand tight.

"you were just having a nightmare" she looked at him again "come here, lay down, it was just a bad dream" he pulled her closer, leading her to his arms, as she showed no resistance at all.

Hestia's body finally started to relax, with his arms around her, her face on his chest, his medallion right in front of her. Geralt stroked her back softly, trying to calm her down, however, he could still feel her entire body shaking, from head, to toe. Her breathing was rapid and very light, warm against his chest. Her body was extremely sweaty and burning hot.

"would it make you feel better if you talked about it?" he asked, as gently as he could, trying not to be so invasive.

"I never told anyone" she replied, so low he could barely hear her.

"what have you never told?" he caressed her hair.

"what he did to me".

"who?" he tried to look at her face, but it was sunk in his chest and it seemed it wouldn't get away from there anytime soon.

"Letus" she held his waist tighter, her face hiding in his chest "I used to love water".

"you don't love it anymore?" her embrace got tighter.

"I hate it".

° **°** °

It was still night and Hestia couldn't fall sleep. Geralt had no idea how long she'd been there, holding him, with a strong grip, he was afraid to move and make her uncomfortable, so he just stayed there, letting his embrace calm her down, he didn't know at the time, but his arms made her feel safe and by holding onto him, the fear wasn't as dominating as if she was alone.

They watched the sun rise, while still being under the covers, both disappointed that it was already time to get up.

"are all of your scars because of beasts?" Hestia finally spoke, as the sunlight hit his built body, lighting up his battle scars "besides the two" she slowly passe her hand on the thin scar on his abdomen and on the palm of his hand "did my best to make them almost unnoticeable" she added.

"It's just another one in the middle of many" he giggled "most of them are from beast, but a bunch by humans too" Hestia made her way up his body, now resting her head on Geralt's arm, as he gently caressed her hair.

"I had so many scars" she laid on her back, raising her arms, with one hand she started to draw with a spell where all of the scars were, appearing in pitch black, soon her entire body was covered in black scars, as if she was broken porcelain, glued up back together, piece by piece, even the smaller ones "some of them are from my childhood in Aretuza, like this one" she pointed at the black strand on her head "that's from a rock someone threw at me, for being different, a beast" she then pointed at a big line on her arm, close to her pulse "this one is from when I broke my arm in two, Tissaia was desperate" she laughed "she wanted to kill me" her fingers then passed on her ribs, then her wrists, the she lifted her legs too, as she did before with her arms "the rest is mostly because of Letus" she turned to face Geralt, his eyes barely open, looking as if he was about to fall asleep "do I bore you?" she chuckled.

"Not at all" he took a deep breath, with a very small smile "before we met, the days were calm and the nights were restless, I could blame me you for that, but it started way before I knew you were real" he blinked his eyes very slowly "but now..." the words were on the edge of tongue, but he stopped himself, it was still odd to Geralt to open up too much, he tried his best to keep his heart away from any possible harm, even though he was already sinking himself in something more than just passion with the redheaded beast, showing just how useless it was to keep his heart away from her hands "can I ask you something?".

"Sure" her breathing was slow, hitting the skin of his arm, warm.

"This is the first time I wake up next to you" he pointed out "most times you would sneak out and just now I could really see your mark" his hand traveled to her arm, observing the big dark, almost as blood, red mark that started on her lobe and traveled down her entire arm and had some spots on her ribs and the side of her ass "why do you have it?".

"I don't know why I have it" she said, gazing at her red fingertips "I just know that the more I use my powers, more red it becomes" she took the covers and covered herself all the way to her chin "it spreads when I blow up".

"blow up?" he chuckled, a bit confused.

"I know, it's weird, but if I'm really upset or if I really want to, which is basically never, I can blow up and burn everyone and everything around me" she gazed into his golden eyes "It happened twice, the second one being the worse, enough to cover my entire arm".

"why are you hiding under the covers?" he laughed "I've seen everything down there".

"I don't like my scars or my marks" she closed her eyes tight for a second and all the black scars were gone "the red one is the hardest to get rid off, just give me a second and I'll grab th-" she opened her eyes and pulled the covers to hide while walking off to her bag.

"it's beautiful, Hestia" he held the covers, making her fall back into the bed "you're beautiful, with scars, with no scars, with red marks, or no red marks, with red eyes, or blue, or whatever, it doesn't matter".

"I don't know how to react to that" her breathing accelerated.

"why not? I'm sure many men told you how beautiful you are, there's not doubt in that" he set down, facing her.

"No one has seen me like you just did" she held tight to the covers "red eyes, red hair, red marks and even my scars".

"No one?".

"no one" her eyes were filling up and the last thing she wanted was to cry, so before he could say anything or do anything, Hestia walked away, nude, to her closet "look away!".

"why!" Geralt opposed "It's not like I haven't seen you naked!".

"look away!" she laughed, using a little spell to pull the covers over him.

"That's cheating" he said, trying to pull the covers off his face "seriously?".

"shut up!".

° **°** °

° **°** °

"good morning love birds!" Jaskier said, opening a big victorious smile "how was your night?".

"why are you awake?" Hestia said, before yelling from the jump scare that was Jaskier suddenly appearing "wait, were you standing right outside my tent?".

"good questions" Geralt said, adjusting his bag on his back.

"I'll have to put my feelings on the table and say that it's pretty weird that my two best friends are together and I might be having a even more awkward reaction since I believe I'm a bit obsessed with it and you two won't provide me with enough information to compose my love ballad an-".

"I swear to the gods if you write another ballad about m-" Geralt started his protest, but in the same way he interrupted Jaskier, the bard did the same to me.

"it's not about you! It's about your _love_ " he played his lute.

"oh now that's disgusting" Hestia covered her mouth from laughing.

"I will break your lute, Jaskier" Geralt grunted.

"you wouldn't dare" he chuckled, but Geralt kept his angry stare "would you?" Jaskier questioned, hiding his lute behind his back "you wouldn't".

"try me".

"what are you laughing at?" Jaskier stared at Hestia "there's nothing funny about the possibility of a broken lute, this one special, it was really expensive".

"I bet" she finally took her hand away from her mouth, mesmerizing Geralt with her smile, he just loved to see her so happy, Hestia herself wasn't, like him, a person of big smiles, so this one was new and he enjoyed dearly "you two are so cute together".

"what do you mean?" Geralt looked at her offended.

"now that's even cuter" she pointed at his face, however, before Geralt could respond, a dwarf yelled a loud 'fuck', making everyone pay attention to he bushes he was close to.

Everyone ran towards the noise, being rewarded with the unpleasant view of Alexis half naked, dead.

"who slits a man's throat while he's relieving his bowels?" Jaskier said, covering half of his face with his hands "and it smells awful" Hestia punched him "ouch! what was that for?".

"respect maybe?" she replied, still gazing at her ex lovers body. 

"I just said 'who slits a man's throat while he's relieving his bowels?', isn't that respectful?" Jaskier, with an offended tone, replied, making Hestia roll her eyes "is nothing sacred anymore?" he took one last look at the body.

"ugh" the dwarf grunted "I bet it was the fucking reavers".

"Fucking assholes" Hestia complained, before turning her back and walking away.

° **°** °

They were finally close to the dragon's cave. Most of them were talking, the reavers no where to be seen, but Hestia went silent once again, with her hands on a vial with a dark liquid. She seemed calm, Geralt wondered if she was suffering from Alexis death, maybe she was mourning, he had no idea of what he meant to her, so for a while he just let her roam alone.

When they were truly close, Hestia suddenly stopped walking and grabbed Geralt's hand before he could walk past her. She pulled him fast, away from all the people and stood right in front of him.

"Are we gonna make out hiding in the trees?" he jokes "makes me feel like a teenager".

"When was that? five centuries ago? Stop with the shenanigans" she said, putting both her hands on her hips "you're not killing that dragon".

"that was never my intention" Geralt said "and who uses the word shenanigans?".

"Fuck you" she said, referring to the shenanigans offense, making him laugh "what do you mean with that was never your intention?".

"I meant I didn't come here for that" he just thought her angry expression was so funny.

"why did you come at all then?" Hestia was incredibly confused.

"that is a question you ask me a lot" he couldn't stop laughing, so Hestia punched him in the arm, that for her it was the same as punching a fucking wall, why was he so strong?

"holy shit!" she started to shake her hand "what is wrong with your body?".

"mutations" he joked.

"Just tell me!" she tried to scream, but contained herself from doing so.

"I came to be with you, to protect you and first, to make you talk to me again, since you were giving me the ice cold treatment, which I might have deserved".

"you definitely did" she held her hurt hand "so you are not...killing the dragon?" she looked up, facing him.

"that would make you hate me, so no" he held her hand softly stroking the top of it with his thumb "I just don't want you to get hurt, in any way".

"It is really odd when you are this nice to me" she pointed out, not being able to contain a silly smile.

"it is really easy to make you soft" he smiled, very softly.

"I can kill you, you know" his eyes were so filled with care, she was never looked like that before "what is wrong with you?".

"what is wrong with you?" he replied.

"I have a plan" she took a deep breath.

"I though we were insulting each other?" he chuckled.

"we'll have time for that later" she observed the others competitors walking by.

"oh we will?" he sounded dirty.

"I will kill you, Geralt of Rivia" she still kept her eyes on the others.

"Using my full name?".

"Do you trust me?" she finally faced him again.

"Do I have any other option?" he provoked her.

"ha" she faked a laugh "let's go" she pulled him by the hand, deeper into the woods.

"oh you are going to kill me after all" he continued, as they almost raced to the middle of the trees "what are you doing?".

"Here's the plan, I will open up a portal that will make us get into the cave, I will be a bit weak, but not too much that will make you the only useful one" she was speaking so fast it was hard to keep up "we will built a quick defense to protect and save the dragon, are you in?"

"That is a very simple unplanned plan" he stated "and I hate portals" he truly did.

"are you in or not?" her eyes were target at his, waiting anxious for an answer.

Geralt took a little while to answer, he looked around, just to find Hestia still focused on him.

"I'm in" he finally gave her his answer.

"Then let's go" she said, taking his hand, interlacing their fingers, while raising her arm to open the portal.

Geralt looked down, observing how their hands were now tied together. Her delicate fingers close to his big, rough fingers, how her hand was so small compered to his, so fragile. He thought about the irony of that, about how with those sweet, gentil hands she could kill many, that with an raise of an arm, she could burn an entire city and how his hand was the complete opposite from hers, but was too, very letal, to the point of taking many lives before.

He wasn't proud of murdering, taking lives was not his dream job and being with Hestia was making him reconsider many things in his life, including the act of killing. He never killed beasts for fun, it was a job, a job that he was taught and he never did anything different, maybe there was a middle ground, it was possible, he thought, to find a middle ground.

"I promise you it won't hurt" her voice, so sudden, brought Geralt back to reality. Hestia had a small smile on her lips, before she took the steps and that's when Geralt realized he would go anywhere with her, her steps were now his, he'd follow her without a doubt.

° **°** °

° **°** °


	32. In the Land of Gods and Monsters

° **°** °

_In the land of gods and monsters_

_I was an angel_

_Living in the garden of evil_

_Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I needed_

_Shining like a fiery beacon_

_You got that medicine I need_

_Fame, liquor, love, give it to me slowly_

_Put your hands on my waist, do it softly_

**_Lana del Rey, Gods and Monsters_ **

° **°** °

° **°** °

Her eyes said everything. No words were needed, at all. Her knees sank on the ground, as an expression of pain dominated her face. She couldn't cry for some reason, but her body was full of feelings, a mist of fascination by facing a dragon, finally, but a gigantic sorrow, when realizing it was dead. How could such a powerful beast be dead? In Hestia's mind they were imortal, invincible, the most beautiful beings, with their huge wings and stomachs bathed flames. And yet, even filled with fuel and blaze that could burn down an entire town, there it was, lifeless, laying around an egg. Alive, at least.

"It's a her" she whispered to herself, absorbing everything that had happened.

She felt Geralt's hand on her arm, lifting her up, slowly. At least she thought it was slowly, everything seemed to be slower than ever. She was back on her feet, Geralt had his sword on his hand, listening to the steps getting closer. Her eyes met his and she couldn't feel more lost, there was not enough time to process the pain of the most beautiful being deceased, her dreams crushed without a care.

"She'd red" she stared longer into Geralt's eyes, worried eyes, before looking back to the dragon "She's red" she repeated.

"I fucking hate portals" he complained, feeling a bit dizzy.

"No closer" Teá demanded, with Veá right behind her.

"what the fuck?" Geralt grunted to the view of the people he thought were dead "they're getting closer" he said, close to Hestia's ear.

"holy fucking shit!" Hestia screamed to the view of a golden dragon, entering the cave from the top. It was magnificent, it shined like it was actual gold and the eyes, the eyes were so familiar. It was huge, it could kill them with a blink of an eye and the power, oh the power that emanated from the beast, it hit Hestia like a strong blast "it is...".

"Scary as fuck?" Geralt completed her sentence, pulling her back, as the redheaded was still out of this world by the realization that her dream was now real, not how she expected, but it was real.

"Magnificent" she corrected him, fighting her urge to get closer to it.

It's roar made everything shake, from inside out, the wind was so intense she closed her eyes for a second, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Sir witcher and my dear friend Singrid" the dragon said, it took a while from them to realize that was Borch, the one they saw fall into nothingness, so sure he was deceased.

"Impossible" Geralt said, still holding Hestia close.

"When the dragoness was injured, her cry was heard from far away, but the egg could not be moved or the life inside it would die" Véa explained.

"That's why the dragon attacked" Geralt added.

"She was protecting her baby" Hestia said, facing Geralt and he knew exactly what that look was. He immediately thought about the griffin, about what Hestia said. A mother. 

"And so we heard the earl's hunt and we knew Singrid wouldn't do a thing but protect the dragon" Veá said.

"And I knew you wouldn't do anything" Borch said at Geralt "because of her".

Before the talk could continue, the other competitors started to come in, swords in hand, determined to go for the prize. 

Hestia could feel her blood boiling, her body was so warm, as if it was on fire, as her skin was taken by a bright tone of red and her veins so visible it distracted Geralt for a while, who had to step back, before her skin would burn him badly. Her eyes completely lost it's clear, crystal color, turning into a burning red, just like a beast.

So she started to glow, so bright it was hard to see. On her ear, a loud click, high pitched, long, lingering.

Geralt watched as Hestia's hands caught on fire, as she showed her true self, he stood by her side, however, the heat was so intense he had to go a bit further behind her.

° **°** °

° **°** °

And so it began, so quickly, so blazing, vivid, incandescent, as the screams increased with the fire hitting their skins and melting to the bone. Geralt didn't know if he was petrified, scared, mesmerized or confused, maybe all of them, he just knew her power was way more colossal than he had and could ever imagine. But there was no time for thinking, as others arrived from another entrance and Hestia was completely focused on the ones in front of her.

Before the sword could come close to slicing a piece of Hestia's silky skin, Geralt's sword stopped in. She didn't even notice, how could she not notice how she got so close to death?

The impulse was there again, burning inside of Geralt, remembering him of his purpose, that petrifying pain of just the thought of losing her, a fuel to unleash his strength. Just like the day he thought that Griffin would take her from him. His heart was pounding on his chest, however, as a witcher, his moves kept precise, as he felt the warmth of Hestia on his back. 

Soon the glow started to get weaker and grunts of pain were constantly escaping Hestia's mouth, as her expression of fury and her bright red eyes lingered. She almost tripped, but Geralt's arm rescued her before she could hit the ground, while holding his sword up, fighting against the other one, that was craving for him skin. Hestia looked to the man with his blade so close to Geralt's throat, as with the few power left in her, Hestia raised her hand, making the man ignite from inside out.

The witcher stared at the redhead, as the man in front of him screamed in pain. Her eyes rolling, hiding behind her eyelids, with a small space in between, showing the white, full of veins, part of her eyes. He could see she was fighting to regain control of her body, her breathing being extraordinary fast, as her chest moved up and down on an alarming rate and her body shook from head to toe. 

He got Hestia back, on her feet, there were still a few of them left, as she regained her strength. The Burning Witch made her name valid for the first time in front of Geralt, he could finally see what all the tales, ballads and texts were truly about and he couldn't help to think that they didn't even come close to describing her truthful, fascinating, colossal power. Hestia took a vial from her pocket, drinking fast and throwing it into the ground, smashing on the hard floor, as she took her sword of her back, the signal Geralt needed to go finish what they started.

She was amazing with the sword, precise, strong, persistent and full of grace. Blood flew, from the bodies, from her nose, nonstop, as she was blinded by rage and fueled by revenge. And how hard it was, for Geralt to not gaze at her, spinning with the shinning sword, as the silver slashed who deserved, as her hair floated with each strike, so fascinating that he got distracted, enough for one of the reavers to throw some dirt in his face and open a small spot for opportunity to strike, to take down the most famous witcher. 

Before Geralt could do anything, as his eyes burned from the dirt, her fair, delicate hand appeared right in front of him, holding the sword with one hand before it could strike him dead. Her nails were dirty and her hand starting to bleed, but she didn't even shiver, not for one second. And so she sunk her knife on the man's throat, and his body dropped on their feet. She looked at him, the adrenaline still overtaking her mind and body, her heart aching from frighted she was just a second before, so sure he was about to be sliced before she could reach him.

"Don't you fucking dare to die" she said finally letting the sword go, still with her knife in her hand and before he could say anything, that same knife she used to kill his enemy not even a minute ago, flew all the way to another man, that was running towards them. 

Nobody had ever put their lives in danger like that for him. Who would do such a thing, for a witcher? For a mutant? For a distant man? He couldn't believe everything that had just happened, however, he knew exactly her feeling, he just wasn't sure of how. She could have died, she could have lost her hand, the dragon could have been slayed, she did it all, just for him, but why? Sure they were falling in love, he could feel it and so did she, of course he cared for her, but he couldn't believe how much _she cared_ for him. Surprised was an understatement for what he was feeling.

They finally escaped each others gaze, taking a long look at the devastation around them. Blood and fire.

"Did I tell you Serena said hi?" for some reason that was the first thing that came to his mind.

"No" she replied, looking at all the corpses "but thanks".

"you welcome".

"what the fuck just happened here?" Jaskier said, finally arriving, trying to not step into any corpse, followed by the dwarfs that had somehow gotten behind.

"Fucking reavers fucked with us" they said in some sort of explanation no one understood "we lost all the fun, fuck".

"Ask no questions and in return, I offer these to take to the king, dragon teeth" Borch appeeared and gave the dwarfs.

Neither Hestia or Geralt paid much attention to it, since things seemed to be resolving by itself. Jaskier was talking non stop and making barf noises while trying to get to them, however, non cared at all.

Hestia stood right in front of Geralt, looking profoundly into his eyes. Her hand was still bleeding but she didn't seem to care at all and so was her nose. She had a very serious expression, while Geralt could only feel relieved to see her alive.

"This is not even the worse I can do" she said, sincere, cold "I am a monster Geralt and you are a monster killer, do you really want to go forwards with this? With fallen for a creature like me?" her eyes looked for some sort of comfort into his, an answer to calm her heart, however, she could not demand anything of him, no one had to ever deal with this side of her and it wouldn't surprise her if this was what ended it all.

"you might not believe me, but you are _not_ a monster, Hestia" his hand caught her face, gently, caring "this do not scare me and you are not a beast to be slayed".

"I did not expect that I have no idea on how to react to that" Hestia said, completely confused as he got closer "it doesn't make any sense, why would you want this when you've seen what I am?" she held his hand tight, so close to her face.

"Does it make any sense that you for some reason has cared for a witcher, fucked him than given him the silent treatment then fucked him again?" he let out a small smile.

"Is this really destiny? holy shit, you're completely insane, Geralt of Rivia" she laughed back, nervous.

"destiny is not real, Hestia" he took a deep breath.

"It's the only way this makes any sense becaus-" before Hestia could finish her sentence, Geralt sealed her lips with his, in a long, passionate, caring kiss, that made every muscle in Hestia body instantly relax and to be taken by his embrace.

"you guys just keep giving me good content for the ballad oh my god" Jaskier said, finally arriving "and that's disgusting you're faces are covered in blood and goo and dirt and"

"shut up Jaskier!" Geralt and Hestia said at the same time.

° **°** °

°°°


	33. Tangled

° **°** °

° **°** °

"Borch said he wouldn't tell, do you believe him?" Geralt said very low, almost impossible to hear, with his mouth close to her ear and his arm touching hers. His nose slowly and gently touched the side of her face, he took a long breath, letting her calming scent of rosemary fill his lungs and with his eyes still close, her voice crawled into his ear, so reassuring, so sure of herself, confident as always.

"We know his secret, he wouldn't tell, he knows the consequences to it" she tilted her head towards him, resting the side of her face on his shoulder "and he's a friend".

"you trust people too much" their fingers were insecure, so close to each other, one move was enough to tangle in each other, however, their was something about holding hands that petrified both of them, it meant too much, at least for now. It was a statement they were not ready to give.

"I don't".

"you do".

"maybe I do".

He giggled.

"Still can't believe I saw a dragon with my two eyes" she raised her head to face him, a silly smile resting on her lips, followed by a smaller, but still full of care, smile from Geralt.

"you only have two eyes so" he took a strand of her hair from her face, feeling the warmth of her cheek on the back of his hand. It still amazed Geralt how burning hot she was.

"I wish I was a dragon" she turned back to face the sea, the boat dancing with the waves, the smell of ocean, the taste of the salt on her lips. She missed how much she used to love the sea and how it calmed her back then. It was odd, the nostalgia of something that wasn't that good at all, a troubled childhood, an even more confusing and torturous teen, however there were still some good moments, of happiness, of joy, of calmness, moments to miss, like diving in the sea of Aretuza and feeling her body chilling for a moment, finally.

"No you don't" he chuckled "that's a shitty life, being persecuted, about to be extinct" she raised her face to gaze at him with an obvious smile, couldn't he noticed the comparison? "oh no, don't start, you're not like a dragon".

"I'm not?" she chuckled "okay then".

"you're not Hestia" she was gazing at the horizon and him at her "you're still free in your own way, you live a wealthy life, you have friends, you are in charge of things".

"Am I really?" a sarcastic buff "that's cute".

"what is cute?".

"The way you really believe in what you just said" she gave him a side look and quickly faced the water again "I'd give anything to be like you".

"Now that's insanity right there" he turned his entire body to look at her, resting his arm and the side of his body on the ship "I feel offended".

"why? you are free" she did the same as he "you can go anywhere do anything, not afraid of being chased by some crazy wizard and the entire Nilfgaard trope".

"I'm still hated and persecuted, so not so free at all" he pointed out "there's also destiny, if we are thinking like you think".

"what about destiny? Are you destined to something else beside being a pain in my ass?" she provoked him. 

Geralt didn't know what to say, the last thing he wanted was for her to know Pavetta's daughter was his real destiny and that he abandoned her, because she would either kill him for leaving the kid or make him go get the kid and he wanted non of that. Still, it felt wrong, not to lie but to omit such important information from someone he truly cared about. He knew someday, sometime, it would blow up in his face and he'd have to deal with the consequences of this one specific choice, however, he was wiling to wait and see, because for now he had bigger things going on, being Hestia and his new life in Skellige his new focus, to at least try and figure out why he was bonded to Hestia, to feel like his doubts were resolved and the conflict in his heart demolished. If he would find out that soon, no one could tell, but he was happy with the way things were going, with Hestia's company and this new world of information and places he was just now discovering, a big new adventure, Jaskier would call.

"Destiny is not real" he finally replied, however, he didn't notice that Hestia read him very well and was sure he was hiding something.

"you're contradicting yourself but hey, so am I, being with a witcher" she smiled.

Geralt smiled very softly, almost unnoticeable. He put his arms around himself, the winds of the Skellige ocean was incredibly cold and not even his best new clothes were enough to make him feel warm.

"Are you cold, witcher?" Hestia laughed, mocking him.

"I'm fine" he replied, holding tight to the ship, trying to convince her that he was _just fine._

"you're literally shaking, Geralt" she laughed again "I can solve that into seconds".

"Can you change season and bring back summer?" he mocked her.

"I can do way better then that" she smirked and before he could answer, her hands crawled by the side of his body, passing her hands on his ribs, making her path all the way to his back, in a gentle hug.

"That is better" he said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, feeling the warmth of her body.

"you smell like death" she whispered into his ear.

"you too".

° **°** °

"are you staying? please tell me you are" Hestia said holding both of Jaskier's hand, with sad puppy eyes and a sweet smile "we have plenty of room here".

"I guess I could get to know Skellige" he smiled back, pulling her into a hug. Hestia closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy that silly, small moment, to accept his embrace and try her best to absorve it and only have happy thoughts, it was a new beginning, for her, for them, for him and the least she could do was to open her heart for Jaskier only, not the ghost of Fiona, his smell was very evocative of her, and beer, however, Hestia had to learn how to get past through that.

Their hug lingered for a bit before they drifted apart, their eyes still locked into each others, full of care and a spoon full of nostalgia. Hestia turned to her side, indicating for Yohanna and Baldric to come closer and they did.

"This is Yohanna and this is Baldric" she directed her hands towards her two friends "they will help you with anything you need, they are good friends and they do know everything" Jaskier smiled at them.

"Nice to meet you two" they shook hands.

"It's really nice to finally meet you Jaskier, Hestia told us so much about you" Yohanna pulled him for a hug "anything you need, seriously, just ask".

"why does he get a hug and I get death stares?" Geralt said, annoyed. 

"because I ain't fucking her" Jaskier joked and Hestia was the only one to laugh "what? too soon?".

"you two still doing that?" Yohanna gave both Hestia and Geralt one of her infamous death stares "I thought it was just hate fucking but well" she took a deep breath.

"Come on Jaskier, before she kills all of us" Baldric giggled, showing the path.

Hestia watched as her three friends walked side by side, chatting, bonding, she hoped, with a silly smile on here face. Geralt watched as Hestia passed her hand on her arm, still gazing at that view, full of nostalgia, definitely missing her friend dearly. Her hair was dirty and stiff, her eyes looked tired and she had her injuries from the recent battle, however, the white wolf still thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and would ever see, with her copper hair and ruby eyes, those rosy cheeks and those little freckles around her nose, the waves of her hair and most importantly, her smile. That smile makes his day, now learning what each of her features and expressions meant and there were many, so many of them to learn.

He stood by her side, watching as Baldric, Yohanna and Jaskier got out of sight, their hands almost touching again, that sensation of anxiety taking in his chest, filling his stomach. However, for his surprise, Hestia made her move, taking his hand onto hers, interlacing their fingers. They fit perfectly.

"There's no one here to see" she said in a very low and calm tone, before resting her head gently on his arm "can we just lie down? I just wanna do that right now, lay down with you" her eyes traveled all the way to his.

"Just point me towards the room".

° **°** °

° **°** °


	34. Home

° **°** °

_Ahh home, let me come home  
Home is wherever I'm with you  
Ahh home. Let me go ho-oh-ome  
Home is wherever I'm with you  
La, la, la, la, take me home  
Mother, I'm coming home_

Home, Edward Shape & The Magnetic Zeros

° **°** °

° **°** °

Hestia had just finished her bath, feeling sore from the trip. Her mind was stuck on the view of the mesmerizing red dragon that faced her deep in the eyes. The shine on it's scales and the trace of gold when the sun shinned on it's surface. How she could feel the warmth emanating from it's core, the small lines of what seemed veins of fire crawling on it's neck, how she wasn't terrified at all of the view of the mouth wide open, about to burst fire and turn everything, including herself, into ashes.

With both feet sunk on the floor, Hestia made a braid on her hair, taking in the smell of rosemary. She had just put on her sleeping clothes when a familiar voice filled the room.

"Already going to bed?" Geralt said, resting his body against the door.

"I'm exhausted, aren't you?" she gazed at the wound on her hand, wrapped in a thin tissue.

"How's your hand?" he got to her side so quickly it took Hestia by surprise, as he gently held her hand.

"it hurts but I'll survive" she gave him a soft smile that he didn't see, but could feel, since his eyes were focused on her wound.

"I can't believe you did that for me" Geralt's words were serious, as he kept facing the wound.

Hestia gently withdrew her hand, making him look at her. Their eyes met and her heart was filled with relief. She missed him, his eyes, his gentle way to care for her, although she missed nothing of his sincerity. 

"you look hot while fighting assholes" she tried to lift the mood, resting her hand on his big thigh.

"have you ever seen yourself fight?" he chuckled "I'm just glad you don't wanna kill me anymore".

"not my fault you were an asshole" she smiled, sarcastically.

"how can I make up to you?" she stood up, walking around the room. 

Hestia rested her body against the wall, her moves screamed of lust and her eyes said everything. Geralt couldn't wait to hear the words he knew she would say.She stood there, looking at him like a prey, biting her lower lip very softly.

"There's something you could do" Geralt's eyes went to her legs, naked, her delicate feet, swinging from one side to the other, while pressing her toes on the floor "something I've been missing a lot" she tilted her head to the right, her breasts loose on the nightgown, her niples poking through the silk tissue. 

"And what is that?" Geralt had his elbows on his knees, looking up to her. He just loved that view, her in power, how she could go from freezing cold to burning hot in just a few seconds.

"I want you to fuck me as hard as you can" she pronounced those words as if they were nothing, innocent, usual to her speech, leaving it with a dirty smile.

Hestia didn't need to say another word, for there Geralt stood up quickly shocking their bodies against the wall. His hand quickly and ruthlessly pulled her leg to his waist, traveling his hand all the way to her ass, smacking it hard, making the redhead let a loud gasp, not expecting all that potency so quickly. His kiss was intense and passionate, barely leaving any space to breath, but Hestia didn't mind, that was exactly what she wanted, thirsty for his taste, begging for his touch, desperate for him. 

Geralt ripped her nightgown with one motion, making her breasts fall on his hands as if it was all planned. He kissed her neck, taking in the sweet taste of her skin and the softness of her breasts, as his tongue licked the path to her niples. With his free hand, he caressed her other breast, taking it down to her panties, pulling them down, already wet.

Hestia held his hair with a strong grip, noticing that Geralt was making his way down her belly. His mouth soon reached her intimacy, as his warm tongue pleasured her in ways only he knew. She couldn't help herself, moaning loud, as her body heated up, which just got Geralt more turned up, filled with lust, as her moans echoed in his mind. She put one of her legs on his shoulder, pulling her closer with one hand on her ass, not late after that, her legs started shaking and so he continued his moves, as Hestia got louder and louder.

Her taste filled his mouth, breathing heavily and with sweat overcoming her body, weakened by the pleasure.

Geralt looked up at the beautiful view of what he had just done, but before he could take it all in, Hestia pulled him by the neck, making him stand up. With a spell, she made Geralt fly all the way to the bed, hitting his back on the expensive sheets, completely taken by surprise. 

Before he could say anything, she was on top of him, burning his belt with her hand, saving time, as his pants quickly came off, showing his hard cock. She grinned, sitting on his member with vigor, ridding him fast and strong.

"Fuck" Geralt moaned, trying to put his hands on her waist, but Hestia was quicker, casting another spell that made his arms stuck to the bed, just above his head "holy shit" he had forgotten how mages had their special little tricks in bed and Hestia's was the most breathtaking, leaving him completely onto her, with the immense desire of touching her, which just overcame him with lust.

It was the best fucking sex of his life.

After a while of ridding him hard, with both hands on his chest, Hestia got off him, unmaking the spell.

"Get up" she said, pulling his hand with all of her strength, making Geralt go back to standing up. 

He had no idea of what to say as she laid on the bed, with her ass up, waiting for him. He didn't wait at all, pounding her as hard as he could, holding her braid with one hand while smacking her ass with the other.

His grunts were loud, just as Hestia's, as the smell of sex took over their bodies and the entire room. 

And he loved that view, of her curved back, her ass on his hands and his necklace leaving his chest just for a few seconds when he pounded her hard. It was all too much and soon he couldn't hold it any longer, sliding his hand on her sweaty back, his face close to her ass and so she felt her inside warmer.

Their breathing was heavy, as he lied next to her, Hestia with her belly down, facing him, and Geralt with his chest up, his back against the sheets, gazing at Hestia's almost shut eyes.

"Don't ever make me mad again" she said, as a drop of sweat slipped from her forehead "I don't wanna be far from you ever again".

"Can't promise that" he pulled her closer by the waist, now both of their bodies facing each other " I can promise to never leave and to keep coming back whenever you pull me away" his grip was strong, making her feel safe "can't lie, the make up sex is just fucking great" she chuckled at his comment.

"you're so silly" she rested her leg on his waist "not what I expected at all".

"and what did you expect?".

"you get an image in your head of merciless witchers and then boom, everything goes away by your presence" she took a deep breath "I like being surprised".

"Can say the same about blood thirsty fire witches" he joked, smiling very softly, before closing his eyes.

"Geralt" she called for him.

"hm" he replied, still with his eyes closed.

"Don't ever leave me" those words were too much, hitting him like a punch, making him open his eyes. Her eyes begged for him, her body shrunk in his embrace, like a little girl searching for a place to call home.

"I won't" he gently caressed her cheek.

"Promise?".

"I promise you, baby".

"ok" she took a deep breath, still facing him, that now was about to fall asleep "okay" she said to herself, trying to convince her that was real, before saying one last okay as Geralt fell asleep right in front of her.

° **°** °


	35. Sinking

° **°** °

° **°** °

For the first time since he arrived, Geralt finally woke up and Hestia was still by his side, her naked figure laying deeply asleep, her leg almost falling off the bed, her hair covering the entire pillow as the first light of the day struck on the bed, lighting up the red flames on her head.

The floor was neither cold or warm, when he sunk both feet on the ground. With few steps he got around the bed, squatting to take a closer look at his lover. Her long dark ruby eyelashes, her eyelid covered in purple veins, her cherry lips opened just a bit, her pointy nose pointing at him, her arm covering her breasts and her hand gently fell on the pillow, her thumb almost touching her nose. 

Her breathing was so heavy he could hear it, it was easy for him, to hear her breathing, even her heartbeat, since he was a witcher, but her scent, that was the strongest and almost as a blessing, it was still on the bed, on the sheets, on the pillows, on him. 

Geralt gazed at her longer than expected, with his catlike eyes, deep yellow and it came to his mind, how could anyone ever call her a beast? How could anyone want her dead? To hurt such a caring person, with a tender heart? That is literally fighting an impossible cause?

With those thoughts still in his head, Geralt made his way to the bathroom and got ready for another day. Yohanna and Baldric were still heaving fun with their favorite forced partnership, Hjalf and Geralt, but with time, having no choice of ignoring Geralt for that long, the couple started to grow fond of Geralt.

A _**month**_ had passed and Geralt was still there, having his room and using it as storage for his clothes, as her bed was now shared with him every single night. Having wild sex all over Skellige, drinking wine by the coast, helping the people in a different way that he was used to, as Hestia taught him how to treat beasts better and with time, she started to trust him on his choices, she knew if he killed one, it had a reason.

 ** _Trust_**. An odd word for both of them, not knowing much about it, neither practicing it as much as they should. Admitting that they trusted in each other was not in their vocabulary, but words mean nothing compared to actions and it was there, the link they chose to ignore, their hidden actions, their way to treat each other, how secrets now slipped from mouth to mouth, how sleeping with the enemy turned into that, what many would call love, but they would never name it, too afraid of statements.

On that particular day Geralt noticed how Hestia sneaked out of bed, barely touching the ground as she put on some clothes. Curious, the white wolf followed her soft footsteps, as she hummed the lullaby of woe. It was a long walk to a deserted beach with an amazing view of an small island with an incredibly tall lighthouse. A small boat waited patiently by the shore, as the waves stroke against the wood. 

Hestia closed her eyes, as the smell of the sea hit her lungs bathed in nostalgia. The seagulls making sounds that only the ones blessed to be by the ocean could hear, flying over her head, dancing in circles like little humans with feathers and beaks. 

She kneel on the hard, thick sand, feeling as the little rocks melted into one big blob, devouring her hand. She could feel it, the smaller rocks going under her nail, which would definitely be a drag to clean, the roughness almost exfoliating her snow skin, the wetness as her arms went deeper and deeper into the hole she made crawling with her fingers. Her sleeves were wet and covered in sand, so was her knees and her feet, with no boots.

A calmness consumed her chest, quickly traveling by her core, hitting every extremity, all the way to her mind. She remembered Yennefer's words, how she justified Hestia's charm for the sea by the fact that she was found on the seashore. Usually just remembering the existence of Yennefer would consume Hestia in rage and pain, however, for her surprise, those thoughts seemed further and further away, as she finally found someone to fill the void she believed would be forever lingering inside of her. Geralt took her by surprise and everyday she made a new discovery, since he made her feel things she never did before. 

He was unique. Stubborn and _incredibly sarcastic_. He'd made her mad sometimes, as he had no lock on his tongue, saying all the things that passed through his mind and fighting for his believes. The truth was that Geralt was sincere, _so sincere_ sometimes it felt like a sharp blade being struck on your chest, however, most of the times he was right, whenever he wasn't guided by impartiality. 

They talked about the war that was to come, about Nilfgaard and Cintra, about Calanthe and Ragnar, trying to figure out their strategies and to predict the future. 

She came back to her senses while feeling anxiety free. The cold did that to her, it was a substitute for the water, since her trauma by Letus made her fear the water more than anything.

Not today though, today Hestia would win the battle, she would take back what Letus stole.

Standing on both her feet, Hestia walked determined to the boat. She held tight to it's back, as Geralt watched from far, sitting on the sand, without Hestia having any idea he was there. 

With the boat finally on the water, Hestia quickly jumped to the boat. Too lazy and powerful to row, Hestia casted a simple spell that made the boat get some impulse, going further into the sea. She threw the paddles on the ocean, determined to go back swimming. If she had no other fast way to go to the shore, she would be obligated to swim. At least that's what she thought.

She took her dress off as the coldness barely affected her. She raised her arm to the sun, feeling as little snowflakes fell on her hand, quickly melting when in touch with her warm skin. If she truly wanted, she could make the snowflakes evaporate even before reaching her. It was surreal for her, even after all those years, how powerful she was.

Power was like good wine, it made you want to drink more and more, it makes you feel confident, free, drunk on your own ego. It makes you feel invincible and so does many glasses of wine. But what happens when you drink that wine every single day? On how you get addicted to the feeling it brings you? What happens when it goes from just a good feeling once in a while to a **need**? When you just want more and more?

An alcoholic.

A drunk.

An addict.

Doing whatever you need to get that feeling again. 

And when she jumped everything faded away, as the water soaked her fire, her flame, leaving her powerless. 

It was like a paper getting in contact with the water, becoming mushy, soft, weak, as the more you touch it, the more it moves around, the worse it gets, as small pieces start to fade away, to break from its core and whenever you try to make it better, to save it, it just falls apart worse and worse. The ink melts and leaks into the emptiness of the vast ocean, leaving a trace of what it used to be, but now unrecognizable. A trace of what one day meant something and after a while, can you even remember what it used to say?

That's how she felt. Overcome by emotions, by the fear, as she was reenacting the most terrifying moments of her life. Why would she put herself through this again? How dared her to put her body through all that? Her mind? 

Was she really that weak? Was Letus right? She was never going to be the same.

She could feel his hands on her, the coldness of the blade, the burning, aching sensation of her skin being teared a part, the smell of death puncturing her lungs, the taste of salt on her tongue and the discomfort of the water itching, burning, on her throat that was fighting it's best to expel it.

The visions felt so real, his face appearing right in front of her. She could see all of them, the men that hurt her, that used her, that tried to defeat her. And a will grew strong on her chest, making her inert muscles finally come back to life.

The water was cold and it felt like a thousand small knives hit her body, as the point of her fingers were numb and her sight blurred. But she fought, again and again and again, being able to finally see the thin line that separated her from the deep breathless ocean, to the vast sky that could finally make her lungs stop aching.

She coughed so much water it felt like the weight of the entire ocean was out of her lungs, coming back to where it truly belonged, making Hestia almost unable to float. However, she was floating and with a big smile on her face. Her hair was wet and heavy, bringing her down, but her arms could finally move, _keeping her head above the water_. Her throat ached and burned, her eyes were tired and she detested the taste of salt on her mouth, but there she was, swimming, once again, after so many years.

"Are you okay? Hestia, are you okay?" she finally came back to reality, as both of Geralt's hands held tight on her waist, helping her keep her head above the water. He appeared worried and his face was more pale than ever. His eyes were pitch black with many veins around his globe. His breathing was fast and deep, his grip was strong and protective.

"I did it, Geralt" she gazed at him, still with a big smile "I did it".

"Shit, you really did it" he finally understood the entire situation "you fucking did it!".

"I did it!" she hugged him tight, resting her head on his shoulder, trying to catch her breath, while repeating non stop her chant of victory. I did it.

She did it.

She finally did it.

Another small piece of her freedom, finally on her hands.

°°°


	36. Happiness is a Butterfly

° **°** °

° **°** °

Geralt's feel were hurt from walking so much and stepping on so many stairs. His back was killing him, as they went higher and higher into the lighthouse. It seemed never ending, as every time he looked up, it still seemed to be so far away. Oh and the walk, to walk the entirety of that small island, in an angle so high he wasn't surprise at all that the place was abandoned. Being so tired was unusual to him, witcher are accustomed to doing long walks, intense battles, more stamina than the average men, but even for him, that was one hell of a tiring walk.

"are we there yet?" he complained, feeling that his knees were about to give up, maybe falling wouldn't be so bad, it would at least end the quest to get to the damn lighthouse, right?

"you sound like a stubborn child! C'mon, it's not so bad" Hestia laughed, she too felt tired, but was enjoying giving him the thought that she was very well and indeed, Geralt was believing her fake joy. She was just having so much fun to see him complaining like that.

"I'm starting to believe I should have accepted to go on the damn portal" another complain, followed by a loud grunt, as Geralt stroked his sore back gently.

"You chose poorly my dear" she giggled, noticing they were indeed close to the top of the lighthouse "but your suffering is about to be over, I swear".

"you said we were close at least 3 times!".

"now it's real, I promise".

"I'll pretend I believe you".

"See, we are here" she said, arriving at the top of the lighthouse, after a couple more steps. Geralt was so busy looking at his own feet trying not to fall, that he completely forgot to look up, so he was taken by surprise when her words were true and they were actually there.

With her body against the window, gazing at the beautiful view of her land, Hestia couldn't help to smile, the lighthouse was one of her favorite places to be, it was somewhere she could be herself, to not have to hide her skin, her hair, her face, her eyes, to hear her true name being called, to delight herself on being just an ordinary woman in an ordinary life, even though, she was nun of that.

The breeze hit her like a kiss, so soft and gentle it calmed her heart. So many thing were happening so fast, as Nilfgaard accomplished more and more, with every one on the way falling, crumbling. She was having nightmares, whenever she talked too much about their empire, remembering the face of her dear friend, however, Geralt would always calm her down, no matter what, if he was on his deepest sleep or wide awake.

It was good, to have someone to trust, to rely on, to let this person into your life, it was so much easier, so much lighter. He was also the person that distracted her the most, with his stories and great tales, of beasts and mankind, of fear and anger, stories worth of books and tales and songs and all that you could possibly think. It was what calmed her the most. She was an small ship, trying not to drown as the big waves crashed on her wood, flooding everything, even her lungs. Geralt was the calm after the storm, the sun to shine so bright in the sky, calming the sea just enough for her to sail through.

Geralt joined her, also mesmerized by the view, understanding why she would do so much work just to get hear. He was too afraid, as the war lingered on, growing stronger everyday, as his consciousness started to get heavier and sink him with worry and guilt, making it much harder to pretend everything is okay. He did not tell Hestia, but those last days were a living hell, not getting any sleep, wide awake thinking about the princess that needed saving, about pavetta, about dunny, about all his responsibilities.

About fate.

The redhead reached for the white wolf's hand, gently caressing it, not having any clue of the madness inside his head. It was only with him that she could truly calm down and right now, it was all she wanted, the thirst for revenge was weaker, her anger more controlled, as she wished nothing but to be by his side. Only if she knew all that was going on with the witcher...

"Every single time I look at the sea I think of you" she took a deep breath, still facing forwards "what once was my greatest fear, now bring me so much joy. To look at it, is to remember of your arrival and how everything changed, with the crash of a wave" she then looked at him, who responded with a warm look "who would have though that I'd find peace in the embrace of a witcher?" she giggled "Jaskier was right after all, our love does tell a great tale".

"A witch disguised as a beast, falling in love with a witcher, what are the odds" he held her hand tight "it is love, isn't it?".

"it's the closest I ever felt to it, so I believe" she held his face with both her hands, gently stroking his cheek "I'm so grateful to have you and I know, I don't say it a lot, maybe not even enough, I'm just...not used to it, I've been alone for so long, scared for so long, that now that everything is changed, for the better, I feel like I can finally say the words, finally feel the things I should have felt, I feel free, in my own way and...I love you, Geralt of Rivia".

Those words hit him harder than the strongest, most sharpened blade, going right through his heart, tearing it without a care, words so powerful, so intense, so scary and at the same time, so true.

"And I love you, Hestia de Aretuza" he took a deep breath, trying to sink in her scent, to keep it forever in his lungs, because he knew very well what was to come and it would probably take a long time, before he could feel her touch again, smell her again, maybe forever. His love was immense, but his guilt was devouring him, ruthlessly "and I need you to remember this" he took her hands off his face, holding them tight against his chest "no matter what happens, I love you, you are my one true love and I'm not one to be sentimental, I'm not one to speak my feeling, understand me when I say this is hard, but I know, without a doubt, that I love you, that I will always care for you, I will never forget you, can you promise me you will always remember that? This, this moment?" he pulled her closer, their foreheads touching "of you and me, this place, this view, this freedom and all that comes when you and I are together, promise me you will always remember...".

"I-I, I promise, but why are you saying this things as if it was a goodbye?" she said, worried, confused, gazing into his golden eyes, still so close she could feel his warmth "is there something wrong".

"No, my dear, I just need you to know" it was a goodbye, he knew it very well, he had a responsibility, he had to at least know, the princess was alright, but she could never know "you need to know how important you are to me".

"I know" she gently kissed his cold lips "I know".

°°°


	37. From the Pinnacle to the Pit

°°°

 **The nights with Geralt were filled with love** and conversations about all sorts of topics, they could stay awake all night just talking about the life of unwanted people, telling stories from their childhoods, their teen years, normally really stupid things, like the time Hestia found Est Est in the middle of Tissaia's things and got drunk with two zips, dancing on the dinner table of Aretuza, or the adventures of Geralt and Jaskier, and how Jaskier would always fuck things up, that's how the stories always started, or ended. On other nights, very frequently, they would stay awake for other reasons, that didn't envolve much talking, such as, well, them fucking so loud it would wake up people from all around the castle.

Talking about the past was hard and both of them would omit a lot of information, for it being to delicate and a sensitive matter, or for reasons such as not having the courage to tell each other their deepest secrets. Hestia wouldn't talk about Yennefer or what happened, really, for her to be persecuted by Letus. She wouldn't tell him much about her problems with Nilfgaard or her plans to rule Cintra, it was a topic that generated an argument, something Hestia did not enjoy, neither would accept to be challenged.

On the other hand Geralt would omit many things too, such as his child of surprise, his relationship with Yennefer, his troubles with Cintra and his mother, he would _never_ talk about his mother. It wasn't like he didn't want to tell her, it was more as he was afraid of the consequences, especially for the entire child of surprise thing, knowing that if Hestia knew the kid she loved so much, cared so much and wished she could take away from Calanthe's hands, if she knew that could be done, if only he claimed the kid, she would never forgive him and he knew it.

Geralt knew the moment he told the truth about the child of surprise, of Pavetta and Dunny, of Calanthe, of how he walked away from his child of surprise, a child Hestia cared for so much, she would make him leave, maybe even worse, it was hard to predict Hestia's reaction, it could be bursting into flames and murdering him or not ever talking to him again and vanishing from earth, well, those were the two worse options.

In the end, things were going pretty well, they were getting closer and closer, until things started to fall apart, without them even noticing.

"You look worried" Geralt said, taking a bite of the bread he took from the picnic, observing as Hestia watched the birds flying over her head, laying on her back, with her black with golden dress, on this big blanket they were using for a picnic. Hestia's idea, of course, she liked to be in the woods, just observing and relaxing, away from her duties and her worries, having some time to go back to her early years, when she used to live in the woods with Fiona, so far away from where she now lives. Geralt, on the other hand, got anxious from doing nothing, picnics were not for him, but he did it anyway, knowing it was a small part of the day that Hestia had free and they could enjoy each other's presence, before his guilt would bury him alive.

"Do I?" she replied, crossing her legs, still staring at the sky "I think I look very relaxed".

"you do not look relaxed at all" he added, taking a zip from the wine.

"why do you think so?" she rested on her elbows, facing him, her eyes red and her lips pale "you know how rare is to get such good weather in this place? I'm overwhelmed with joy".

"you are so not" he giggled, his back banded over, trying to find a comfortable position sitting like that in the woods.

"you are on a roll today, Geralt" she took a deep breath, as he fed her a grape "why do you think I'm in a bad mood?".

"you won't stop bouncing your feet and your heart rate is elevated compared to what it usually is" he pointed, with his eyes, to her feet.

"Shit, stop using your witcher senses to analyze me" she pulled her head back.

"you can use your powers on me but I can use mine on you?" he sounded bothered.

"well fine, I'm not in my best mood" she finally set down, facing him, after shoving a bunch of grapes on her mouth "I have bad news".

"what news?" he asked, both curious and worried.

"Nilfgaard is moving faster than we thought, they are truly close to Cintra" she didn't want to talk about it with Geralt, but after long, secret meeting with Baldric, Hestia had decided it was time to do something, with or without Ragnar's help. Would she get it a lot of trouble? Yes, probably, if things went bad, she could lose everything, from her small 'kingdom' all the way to not only her life, but her loved ones too.

She couldn't help it, it hurt too much, to not be able to save Fiona, the weight of her death landed so hard on Hestia, it was impossible to not claim revenge, to not ache for justice. Also, she didn't want to admit to Geralt that it was the perfect time, if she could destroy Nilfgaard, with Cintra weakened, it would be the most precise time to take Cintra. Yes, it was taking advantage of a terrible thing to be on the throne, however, her biggest dream and will was to make a difference, with Nilfgaard weakened, with her on Cintra's throne, they could not only make Nilfgaard go back to the hell they belonged, but maybe, just maybe, end it for all.

Hestia would also fulfill her promise, to take care of Ciri, another promise that made her heart ache every single day. And she hated it, she hated that there was nothing she could to, the only way to get her revenge, to claim her heritage, to get justice, to do right for Pavetta and give Ciri a better life, was to, well, to go to war.

"how close?" he asked, being left with no answer "how close Hestia? What are you going to do? Please don't tell me you want to...".

"They can kill her, Geralt, don't you get it? This is bigger than you and me" her eyes started to get watery, afraid that was the moment it all ended, the moment she had feared from the day she found him almost dead on her shore "don't give up on me" she said, almost begging.

"I'm not" he had so many questions "what are you going to do Hestia? Because I know you won't listen to me, you will just fucking do it, as you please" he put his wine glass down.

"As I please? Geralt this is not just me being petty about something from the past" Hestia knew where that conversation was going. 

"It isn't, Hestia?" Geralt huffed "because it sounds like you taking advantage of someone's disaster".

"Why do you have to be such a dick?" she took a deep breath "I can't let her die Geralt, I can't lose another loved one, I can't bare the idea of having another death on my back" she stood up, feeling the anxiety overcome her rationality, as her emotions took over, with her hand on her chest and the tears started dropping "do you have any idea of what that feels like? Fiona is dead, Fiona died in front of me, because I didn't use the right words or didn't fucking kill them fast enough" her words started to sound confusing as she talked faster and faster "she was alive and then she wasn't, her head was on my feet, and if I had planned it right, she could still be alive and now, you look at me, like I'm a fucking tyrant, like I'm irrational, but I've planned this, Geralt, way before we met, I've been planning and organizing and trying to make sense of all this bullshit that keeps happening in my life" she chocked on her on cry "I can't let a child be killed because I just stood there, because I went rogue, I can't watch as my own blood is spilled by the hands of the same people that took Fiona from me, I can't let Pavetta down again, I can't let her sweet kid become like me".

"Like you?" he asked, confused.

"Broken" she took a deep breath, gazing at Geralt's eyes "I can't let them break her Geralt, I just can't".

Geralt walked fast towards Hestia, holding her tight in his embrace, as his lover fall apart, in tears of a loud cry, gasping for air. And as he watched her crumble into pieces right in front of him, he knew exactly what he had to do.

And it would hurt.

It would destroy them, probably, for eternity.

It would be unforgivable, for her, for him.

It would mean giving up the peace he had finally found, it would mean walk away from happiness, after just find it for the first time, true, unique, undeniable happiness.

It all, to do what's right.

Because Hestia was right, it was bigger than her, than him, than them, but it had to be done.

And it was decided, that, without a word, to protect them, to protect Hestia, that Geralt would _**go**_ **_claim his child of surprise_** , ending once for all, his last attempt of happiness.

°°°


	38. How to Disappear

° **°** °

It was an odd night and Hestia could feel it.

It was colder than usual, to the point that she could feel the freezing cold it in her bones. The sky was dark and the stars didn't seem so shiny. Something in her guts was telling the witch that something awful was about to happen. She stared at her land, the freezing wind hitting her face hard like a punch and for a moment, she had a _dejavu_.

Flames as tall as buildings and an army to lose sight, hiding in the darkness. A weakness stroke Hestia by surprise, as her mind started playing tricks on her. She felt a nausea like never before, still facing the window as if there was something there, however, there was nothing but thick snow, for miles and miles to see.

Hestia took a deep breath, holding her belly tight, as an urge to vomit got a grip on her and she ran to the bathroom, letting all her dinner on a small bucket of wood. She set down, feeling her chest so tight it seemed like all of the air that belonged to her lungs was being harshly pulled from her insides as claws ripped through her skin, tissue and muscle, her diaphragm being completely lacerated, invalidating her ability to breath.

Breathing, suddenly, became awful, as she forgot how to do it.

Her body was trembling, from her head to her toes, so badly that there was no way Hestia could even stand up. With both her hands on the floor, she tried her best to calm down and get a grip on her breathing. It turned into an impossible mission, as flashbacks stroke her mind, obligating Hestia to remember all of the awful things she went through. 

She heard her voice, Fiona's voice, calling her name, but she could only see the blood dripping from her neck, as the blonde's head fell to the ground.

"Hestia" she finally realized that it wasn't Fiona calling her, it was Yohanna, with her gigantic belly, holding it with one hand, as the other held Hestia's arm gently "what happened? are you okay?".

"I'm fine" it was heard to speak with such a dry mouth, with no saliva on her tongue and the awful bitter taste of vomit. She stood up, a bit dizzy, trying to not look Yohanna in the eyes "how are you? how's the baby?" she gently caressed the woman's belly.

"She's fine" the woman giggled.

"Still thinking that is a little girl?" a soft smile escaped Hestia's lips as her heart started to beat slower.

"Of course" Yohanna grabbed Hestia's hand, holding it tight "what is going on, Hesty? I'm worried".

"I just had a bad feeling, it's nothing to worry about" with her thumb, Hestia gently stroked it on Hanna's hand "everything is fine".

"Don't lie to me" she got closer "don't you ever lie to me".

"I'm sorry, I just..." she took a deep breath "Geralt has been acting weird lately and things with Nilfgaard seems to be getting worse everyday and I just had a terrible feeling, much like a dejavu".

"And where is him anyway? Shouldn't he be home already?" Yohanna guided Hestia back to the bedroom "it's just a bad feeling, sweetie, you are paranoid and you have many reasons to be so".

"I just miss her you know" she set on the bed, not noticing that a small piece of paper flew out of the corner of the bed, falling on the ground, the moment she sat on it, accompanied by Yohanna "I'm sorry".

"you have nothing to be sorry about, okay?" Yohanna held, with both hands, Hestia's face "now let's try to relax a bit, try to get some sleep, Geralt should be here soon and you can get the edge of you know" she joked, as Hestia accepted, laying on the bed.

"Could you stay with me? Just for a little bit, I don't remember the last time I've slept alone and I don't want to find out, not today at least" she rested her head on the pillow, hiding under the dense covers.

"Of course, it's been a while since it was just the two of us, well but we'll have to make room for one more" Yohanna proceeded to do the same as Hestia, hiding under the covers "why are your blankets so much better than mine? I'm the pregnant one!" she joked, snuggling close to Hestia.

"All of them are going to you than, tomorrow, of course" she laughed "all for my baby momma".

"you better be telling the truth, young lady" she pointed her finger at Hestia, rubbing it on the tip of her nose.

"you're going to be a great mom, you know that, right?".

"Yeah, I've being a mother to an young lady for a while now, did a good job, didn't I?" a soft smile.

"Great job" Hestia closed her eyes "love you, Hanna, good night".

"Sweet dreams, Hesty".

°°°

Hestia woke up with a loud noise on the door, for a moment, as she was practically sleep walking, she was so sure it was Geralt, a small smile took her cheeks. She rubbed her eyes, still smiling, until a different voice of what she was expecting yelled, in panic.

"HESTIA, OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, RIGHT NOW" Another bang, it was Baldric's voice.

Hestia ran at full speed, trying not to fall, getting to the door in less than five seconds. She opened the door and the man busted in, looking all around the room.

"WHERE IS YOHANNA?".

"I'm here baby, what's wrong?" she set down on the bed, hand resting on the belly, eyes emanating pure confusion.

"Stop calling me Hestia! Are you fucking insane?" the redhead tried not to yell.

"They found you, Hestia, Nilfgaard is here, he is here, just waiting to get you" Baldric's breathing was so fast and so intense there was no doubt, he was telling the truth.

"Wait, but how? h-how is this possible? BALDRIC" She finally screamed, both hands on her hair, pulling it to the point of pain.

"Some rat must have found out and told the Emperor, the prize of you head is very high Hestia, I" Yohanna was now by his side, holding Baldric's hand so tight you could see the redness on his big hand.

"Didn't you say Geralt went missing yesterday?" Yohanna said "I'm not saying it was him but the timing...".

"Don't say that, he would never do such thing, he said he loved me, he fucking loves me".

Despair. That was the perfect word to describe it, what she was feeling, what was dominating every cell of her body.

Lost. Doomed. As everything she conquered, with her hard work, with so much patience, over so long, was now, faded to destruction.

"We must go, Hestia, right now" Baldric was assertive, as Hestia seemed to not be in position to do anything, she wasn't a leader, not in that moment.

"He wouldn't, h-he, he wouldn't, _right_? It wasn't all, it wasn't all pretend, it _can't_ be" she blabbed to herself.

"We don't have time for this right now, Hestia" Baldric took her hand "get what you can, we have little time before...".

The screams. The screams of war and anger, of destruction and pure disgust, yells of Nilfgaardian men.

Hestia ran to the window, watching as what she believed was just a bad feeling, coming true before her eyes. 

There they were, flames of arrows of nilfgaard, as they ran, determined, towards everything she loved.

Doomed. She thought to herself. They were doomed.

The last thing Hestia remembered from that night was the running. Panting in despair, her muscles aching, her legs so sore it felt they would break like two little sticks, her hand, wrapped so tight on Jaskier's fingers, as they ran, two steps ahead of Baldric and Yohanna. 

She remembered the horses, their noises, Freya, just waiting for her, as if she knew what was happening. 

Jaskier was on Roach the Second, Hestia jumped right on Freya.

Baldric helped her beloved to mount Freya and she did. It was the last thing he did, before falling to his knees, an arrow on his eye.

The unbearable sound of an screaming wife right on Hestia's ear.

Hestia turned for a second, to just remember Yohanna that he wasn't dead, he would only be truly dead if another Higher Vampire killed him, but before she could try to comfort her best friend, another arrow, going from one side to the head to the other.

Another scream, now from her throat, as the body of her best friend, a mother to be, fell from the horse. The sound of it scaring the horse and making it run.

"WE MUST GO" Jaskier screamed, trying to bring Hestia back to reality, but her screams of pain were so loud, and the tears wouldn't stop crawling down her face.

One last scream, as a fire ball flew from her hand, striking the path behind her, behind Yohanna and Baldric, making a shield of a fire that could not be extinguished. A last attempt to protect her loved ones, before running away in the darkness.

°°°

°°°


	39. The taste of Betrayal

°°°

She couldn't really remember how long it had been, since her and Jaskier were on the road, fugitives, well, at least she was a fugitive, he was just her...companion, not accepting the many offers she made for him to be free, to leave her and have a normal, happy life. However, knowing that, once again, Hestia was all by herself, Jaskier couldn't stand the idea of leaving her to fall in the claws of solitude.

Cintra fell, however,hestia couldn't even think about that since the only thing she cared at that moment was _**revenge**_. That thirst that once was so light, now seemed to be swallowing her throat, burning it up, aching her tongue and making it as dry as a desert, like a vampire, seeking for blood. Hestia could feel the fire inside of her crawling all around, devouring every last piece of sanity she had ever possessed, in an anger filled drive to make them pay.

Hestia barely had any time to grief for her loved ones, jumping all of the steps of mourning and going straight to _anger_.

Jaskier could hardly see the old Hestia, as the blood thirsty one had taken over any vestige of what once was a loving woman. There was no laughter and any trace of joy was buried with the ashes of the people Hestia once loved.

It wasn't only Nilfgaard that she wanted to destroy, oh no, the anger had many branches, focusing on the Emperor and especially, Geralt, the traitor, the one who made her believe love was possible, _love_ was real, _trust_ was real, but it was all a lie, a lie he used for greed, for money and for sex, at least that's what she believed in, so deeply that it ached, making no other theory even possible to exist.

One night, as they slept in an small Inn close to Aretuza, as Jaskier finally rested his eyes, Hestia just vanished, leaving no trace behind, believing that was the only way for him to have a happy life and for her to fulfill her quest, as Jaskier didn't approve any of it.

 _"It's not what Fiona would want"_ he'd say. But it wasn't about _her_ anymore, not only her,and she couldn't live in the shadow of Fiona's thoughts and mantras. Not when whenever she followed her dear friend's footsteps, it all ended in _pain_.

° **°** °

It was a full moon when Hestia arrived in **Aretuza**.

The sky was full of stars and clouds that traveled through the sky with no worries what so ever. She wondered how that felt, to wander with no worries, to be free.

She stood in front of the tall construction, the water drowning her feet, sunk in the sand, as she feared no water anymore. Hestia could feel the heat flowing in her body, as the warmth took over and made the sea water evaporate every single time the waves crashed on her bare feet.

The place were she once lived, were she once loved, a place she used to call home, the only place she believed that now, could help her on her quest. With the mages on her side, maybe, just maybe, she would be able to get her revenge. Tissaia would want to avenge Cintra, she always liked the damn place and she hated Nilfgaard, always telling young Hestia she would never allow her to be sent there.

"Nasty place of nasty people" she'd say.

And there she was, walking towards Hestia, with and expression of pure surprise, her hand shaking as her fingers touched her lips gently, gasping for air as tears dropped one by one on her porcelain face. She ran, so fast, losing all of her grace, her decorum, Hestia had never seen her adoptive mother like that, looking so, _desperate_.

" _Hestia_? Is that really you? For the gods sake it can't be" Hestia could see that the woman was truly emotional, as her every move told a story of a mother that lost her baby, but how? How dared her look at Hestia like that? To appear like she cared? After abandoning her to death? How dared her to pretend to love her?

"Don't take a step closer" Hestia grunted, her eyes like two fireballs gazing at Tissaia.

"What? Why? Hestia you have to..." just two more steps, two more steps and they would be together. Two steps for a reunion Hestia was always afraid of and Tissaia always dreamed of.

"I don't have to anything" she spitted out the words "I'm not here for you".

"Would you please listen to me? I've been searching for you for so long, I thought you were dead" her breathing was heavy and quick passed, as she _boldly_ took a step closer.

"You _left_ me to Letus, don't you dare say any of this to me, don't you fucking dare" she raised her hand, demanding to be respected.

"I didn't, they _took_ you away from me, Hestia, you _must_ believe me" she stopped for a second "I never wanted you to get hurt, you must believe me, my sweet, sweet girl" her hand reached for Hestia's, holding it, so hot that for a second she believed it would burn her hand, but Hestia, trying to prevent her from getting hurt, stopped the heat of her hand, completely paralyzed as Tissaia's words started to sink in, with the sound of the waves crashing, flooding her feet once again.

"I found you right here, so many years ago, you were just a little baby, my redheaded baby" she took the last step, holding both of Hestia's hand "they just took you from me, I tried to fight them, but you were gone before I could find you" her hands traveled to Hestia's face, holding it so gently, as if she was still just a baby "you have grown into a beautiful woman, I...".

"You still lived your life as if I never existed" she harshly took Tissaia's hand off of her face "as I lived nothing but pain, while everything I ever cared for, ever loved, was taken from me and now you will help me get my revenge, you _owe_ me".

"What do you need?".

°°°

Hestia didn't mind the many stares that hit her body the moment she stepped inside the room, with one of Tissaia's dress, scarlet red. People gasped with the view of her burning hair, in delicate flames that fell following the path of her wavy strands. Her red eyes made some mages step away, clearing the path as Hestia took back what always belong to her, her freedom to be who she truly was.

She walked like a queen, not caring one bit about what everyone was thinking of her, of the possibility of being discovered, she was there, displaying herself as she always were.

_The Burning Witch._

There was a lump on her throat, that's true, because right on her left stand **Yennefer of Vengerberg,** the woman she once loved, or believed to love, one of her three biggest resentments, she could taste betrayal on her tongue, surrounded by two of the ones who abandoned, burned their loyalty, Tissaia and Yennefer, her gigantic disappointment, her fall of her home, Aretuza.

You'd think Letus was the third, however, she always knew who Letus was.

Geralt was the third to break her.

Yennefer stood there, gazing at the woman she had last seen as a teenager, not knowing what to do, what to say, even though she had fantasized of this day so many times. The raven haired woman wanted, so bad, to hug her beloved lover, to touch her soft silk skin one more time, to do what her heart truly wanted, _it_ ** _wasn't_** _love_ , it was _**forgiveness**_.

"I'm here for one reason and _one_ reason only" she started her speech, standing in front of every one that helped on her fall "I stand before you all, the ones who wanted me dead, the ones who believed I was a monster and maybe still do, to this day, in front of the ones who betrayed a young little girl, who wanted to do no harm, a innocent child, a baby born with powers that _you_ " she pointed at the older ones "with many years of study and dedication, could never get, a power that was born with _me_ and not _you_ and with all you attempts to end the 'threat' that scared you so much, I'm still here, for your surprise, I know I have a prize on my head and that some of you would love to just rat me out, however, I have so much dirt on this place I'll make sure to not only burn it down, but to spill all of the tea and with it, turn you all to ashes" a greedy smile "we are avenging Cintra and ending Nilfgaard's reign of terror, I know that is sounds like a lost cause, a fight we cannot win, but maybe, just maybe, we can delay it just enough for things to change, and if you don't agree, step towards me, right now and face what revenge tastes like".

Nothing but stares.

"Come on, no one wants to play with fire?" still, silence " _good_ , now let's get things started".

°°°


	40. People linked by destiny will always find each other

°°°

°°°

Hestia's approach was seen as a bit too much, so of course, they had a reason to be afraid. Tissaia jumped in, trying to turn the harsh words into something acceptable, into what could be an actual meeting, an conversation, which ended up in a big argument of a fight hard to win. Until Hestia burned the first one. Robertus, one of the oldest in Aretuza, also known as the first one to point a finger at Tissaia, telling her that the baby in her arms should be sunk in the bottom of the sea. Murdering a baby, how could someone even think of that? She didn't know, but the first drop of blood was on her hands and the taste of it felt fucking amazing.

That set the record for anyone that wanted to go against her. Of course there were many who disagreed and tried to run from her, becoming nothing but a pile of ash. She did had a sense of justice, some moral left in her, she wouldn't kill someone who did her no harm, however, things were made much easier since the ones who were against here were basically the ones who tried to end her. When the room was finally "clean", without a drop of guilt on her chest, they began the preparation for battle.

There was this one place, an abandoned construction that nilfgaard would have to go through to keep going, it was a spot that if they won, nilfgaard would have a huge advantage over everyone, since it linked many lands and many merchants would stay there. The small village was now abandoned, with the fear of the nilfgaardian army. Three bridges, linking three lands. One tower. A place that looked like nothing, but meant everything.

Yennefer tried talking to Hestia, however, what she didn't know, was that the girl she once knew, was now a woman, a master in the art of becoming the ice queen, even having fire breathing inside of her. That's when she realized she knew nothing of the woman of burning hair, that the girl she once knew, was long gone, never to be found. 

Maybe if they met again, in another time, when things were calmer and Hestia's heart was glued back together, maybe, just maybe, all of it would be different, but the humanity inside of the Burning Witch was dead, burned to the ground, leaving nothing but anger and the insane desire for revenge and Yennefer knew that feeling, that consumed anyone who would let, that makes you lose everything. She knew what was the thirst for power and her endless quest to be a mother. She wanted to warn Hestia, that the path she was taking would bring nothing but harm, pain and disaster to her life, but what Yennefer didn't know was that Hestia had already lost everything, she was fighting only to feel something, as if winning would bring her loved ones back or at least, bring justice to their names, their lives.

°°°

The meeting was soon over and Hestia went straight to what used to be her room, she opened the door, finding a young girl with blonde hair and bright green eyes. She gazed at the girl, that gripped strongly on her book, looking scared as fuck.

"You are the great fire mage" she said, her lips trembling.

"The great fire mage?" she mocked the young girl "who told you that crap?".

"Tissaia, of course, you're a legend here" she stood up, Hestia being able to see how scared the girl was.

"A legend, ruh" she took a couple steps closer, putting a strand of the girl's golden hair behind her ear "some places they call me the burning witch, sometimes they call me a beast, but never a legend" she took a deep breath, resting her hand on her hips "do you like it in here?".

"I do, I'm very proud to become a mage and serve" she replied so fast it surprised Hestia.

"Well don't" she gazed profoundly into the girl's eyes "be the baddest bitch you can, know it all, be the must powerful mage you can, so no one will ever mess with you, obey no man, obey no merciless king, bring them hell, because they all deserve it".

"Nice speech, scared the living shit out of the kid" A familiar voice, Yennefer's, said, stepping into the room "our love nest, ruh, never thought I'd be back here, nice redecorating they did" she took a deep breath "go away" she told the girl, who ran out of the room as fast as she could.

"And why are you here?" Hestia rolled her eyes, turning to face the woman that was her first love "wanted to back stab me one more time?".

"Don't be so pity, I was young and foolish" she took a couple steps closer, as Hestia watch her every move "I'm not going to fucking kill you Hestia, you can relax, I'm going to help you anyway" she passed her hand on the wooden part of the bed "you look gorgeous by the way".

"Cut the crap Yennefer, what do you want?" she spitted out the words "and I don't need your fucking help".

"Guessed you were going to say that, but I'm a very powerful mage myself" if a look could kill, Hestia would have burned Yennefer down. Yen still feeling a bit proud, felt it was hard to say what she truly wanted.

"Never doubted that" Hestia said, watching Yennefer get closer and closer "is this what you want, to brag?" she huffed.

"I want your forgiveness, Hestia, that's all I want" she sighed, gazing into those red eyes "I missed those ruby eyes of yours".

"You can get my forgiveness once you help me end Nilfgaard "Hestia got lost for a moment in Yennefer's purple eyes, her iris just hypnotizing, making Hestia feel young and in love again, for a brief moment at least.

"That easy?" she joked, getting a very small laugh from Hestia "was that a laugh?" she reached for Hestia's face, gently caressing her silk skin "you should smile more".

"I used to" she tried to drift away, but it was so hard, Yennefer was like a magnet, almost impossible to pull away.

"I'm really sorry" she got closer "and I'm not joking, I swear" their lips touched for the first time in decades, so soft and sweet, that for another moment, surprisingly, they were taken back in time, as young girls in love, however, that memory brought back the pain of where it at started, where Hestia's life began to turn into a mage version of hell. It wasn't a bad kiss, however, it wasn't his kiss and Hestia knew, deep inside, that she was still very much in love with Geralt and there was nothing to fill that whole in her heart, not even an old lover's kiss. For Yennefer it was good, but not what she imagined, it wasn't as magical as when they were young and how she wished it was. What Hestia didn't know was that Yennefer didn't have an easy life either and if she could, she'd go back in time and relive all the good times they had together.

"I can't, Yen" she pulled away, very slowly.

"I know" she took a deep breath "I'm still in".

"I'm glad you are, I might need a she devil in the field".

"Well, you got it".

°°°

There they were, about to go to war. Everything was prepared, set to fight the Nilfgaardians.

Hestia had one armor Tissaia got for her, her old sword on her hand, gazing into the gigantic army just around the corner. Hestia's heart rate was faster and for a moment, just like she had the night Geralt left, she had another dejavu, as if she knew how she was going to die.

Was that how Serena felt? Seeing the future?

And if so, was she really seeing her future?

For some reason she could smell death emanating from her body, that rotten smell of decay, of putrefaction, overcoming her smell of burning rosemary. She was so sure she would die and if she really was going to meet her end, it would be in one hell of big fire explosion.

"MAGES, BE READY!" She screamed, feeling a scratch on her throat, for the first time, scared "it's all going down" she took a deep breath, letting the air escape from her lungs to her mouth "let's give them the taste of revenge".

°°°

It was a long trip, especially with Skellige being in such a horrendous weather, however, Geralt found his way back to the continent, following the path to Cintra. He knew the talk with Calanthe wouldn't be easy, it might even end with him dead, however, he went anyway, trying to erase any memory of the past months in his head, failing miserably at it, as Hestia was the only thing in his mind.

Was she okay?

How did she take it?

Was she going to be okay?

Did she miss him?

Did she want him dead?

Was she coming for him? And if so, with which intention?

Did she get the note he wrote? He wasn't the best with words, he knew, but he tried his best to sound as rational as possible. Maybe if she read it, she would understand, why he left with no goodbye, it was his way to protect her. He just hoped his words were enough for Hestia to understand his reasons and in the end, meet him back in Skellige.

In the end, she was one of the biggest motivations why he was doing this at all, it was - not how Hestia expected but - how he got to make one of her promises to be completed. Ciri would be safe, he'd go back to Skellige and Hestia would be happy. It was all explained in his very brief, but coherent, letter, left on her desk. 

  
They'd all be safe on the land far away from the madness of the continent. That's all he wanted, the isles, Ciri and Hestia, together.

However things were much harder as Calanthe didn't make anything easy, as expected, trying to trick him and ambushing the witcher into a small cell. 

Unfortunately, Hestia's predictions were right and Nilfgaard indeed was about to take Cintra, he never wanted her to be wrong so badly, however, when he heard the sound of war from inside his cell, he knew and had only one task. To find Ciri and get the hell out of that place.

The smell of death was unbearable and he could taste blood on his mouth, spilled from himself and from Nilfgaardians he had to kill, since they were standing in his way. 

Geralt was never so focused in his life before, acting out of pure instinct, driven by his guilt and his necessity to make things right, with Pavetta, with Hestia, with Ciri. 

Everything after that was messy and blurred. For a moment he thought Ciri was dead. 

So many things happened so fast and when he finally stopped to realize, trying to help someone, Geralt ended up almost dead, on the back of some wheels among with sacks of food, trying to be saved by a complete stranger. 

And so destiny intervened, the one he said never to believe, the one he thought was nothing but utter bullshit. Destiny brought Ciri to his footsteps.

 ** _"The girl in the woods will be with you always"_** he could still hear Renfri's voice, to the sight of a magnificent forest, right in front of him **_"she's your destiny"._**

So he wandered through the woods, his mind still blurry from all that happened in such a small period of time. He could feel his body aching from pure exhaustion, but he kept going, not knowing exactly why, deeper into the woods.

And there she was, as if she was perfectly positioned there, she looked so much like Pavetta and had the cheeks that Hestia described so many times, her eyes so clear you could see right through her soul, her hair, so bright like his, so identical it scared the living shit out of him. So small, inside that Cintrian cloth. She looked like a little angel, lost in the middle of so much caos, trying to find something to grab on. What he had no idea was that she was trying to find him, just like he was trying to find her.

She was running, with her long silver hair floating with the wind, her expression of exhaustion melted into something that seemed excitement. 

And then, destiny's duty was done, as he wrapped his arms around the little girl, with a strong grip around his waste, about to cry from relief. She knew, she knew he was Geralt of Rivia, the witcher, her destiny. She needed no words to confirm that, because she could feel it, deep inside.

Destiny is _always_ right.

 _"People linked by destiny will always find each other"_ was the only thing he could say, staring into nothingness, trying to absorve everything that as happening.

As she heard those words, Ciri pulled away from the hug, staring deeply into Geralt's golden eyes.

_"who is Hestia?"._

°°°

°°°

 **author's note:** one more to go!


	41. War Never Changes

°°°

°°°

_"Many people believe in the existence of Destiny, a mysterious force which binds certain people together, determining their fates. According to believers, one can either follow the path of Destiny of one's free will or try to resist it, although the latter can bring grim consequences. On the other hand, some feel that Destiny is not everything. These people say that something more is needed in order to bind two lives together, even if the rules of fate decide otherwise."_

°°°

The wind was hot and dry, as a cloud of smoke made it's way slowly, but steady, towards the small village Ciri and Geralt were.

The white wolf could see from a distance the arrows flying like rain on it's way to a small construction just up ahead of them. He knew from the moment he saw the big bridge that would just make it easier for Nilfgaard to conquer all, that the war was bigger than he thought, swallowing everyone and everything in it's way, consuming it in oceans of fire and destruction, as the scent of death rotted in their nostrils. 

After a very long time with his heart beat slow, it's muscle seemed to turn into a race horse, pounding stronger and faster in his rib cage. His muscles were tense and he immediately got into a very defensive position, almost father like, with Ciri. The witcher wanted to ask the young girl how she knew Hestia, however, the sound of war and it's danger was getting closer and closer, distracting him from the questions he so badly wanted to ask. 

A decision was made, to get Ciri the furthest away from the core of the battle that he could, he had to keep her safe and get back to Skellige as fast as possible, he thought that if he got there without anyone noticing them, they'd be safe. Unfortunately, what Geralt didn't know was that Skellige was also at war with Nilfgaard, after they invaded what used to be Hestia's, or Singrid's, land. What he wasn't aware of either was that Hestia's identity had been exposed and the place he believed to be home, was now, gone. His plan was shattered, without him even knowing so.

What changed it all was when Geralt's eyes noticed a big fire explosion in the middle of the battlefield and he knew, he knew it was her. Geralt had seen it before, what Hestia was capable to do, why she was doing so he didn't really know, maybe the battle was against Hestia's army and Nilfgaard, maybe she did it, after all, or maybe she was in danger and with that he couldn't play, Geralt could not stand the idea of the possibility of losing Hestia, forever, her death would destroy him and there was no way he'd ever recover.

"What do you mean?" Geralt said, holding Ciri's hand tight.

"I don't know, I just had a bad feeling and her name appeared in my mind, I..." she held his hand tighter "what does she mean to you?".

"Everything" he replied, without thinking twice. 

"Then we should go".

"Go where?".

"Save her of course".

"We have to go, I have to get you safe..." he stared into the battlefield, the smoke getting denser, darker, he could see that Nilfgaard's side was winning and that meant one thing "she's going to die" he said, with such sorrow you could feel his pain just from words and his eyes, eyes so lost not knowing what to do, where to go.

"We have to save her, Geralt" the young girl said, standing in front of him " _we have to_ ".

°°°

"So you were hired to kill her for a lot of money, went through all that trouble to find her, then you did find her and she wasn't the beast they told you, than you fell in love with her and left to claim me? Did you at least talk to her about this?" the girl of silver hair expressed her confusion, as Geralt lacked words and the story was hard to understand without the insights only he could give "and she's also aunt Singrid?".

"Her name is Hestia" he corrected the girl, pulling her hand as they walked faster, but in stealth, trying not to get seen "and I did not talk to her, but I left a letter".

"A letter? Do you really think that's enough?" she complained, for her it was an absurd to leave a loved one like that.

"If I talked to her than I would't be able to leave".

"Maybe she would have joined you" she tripped while talking "ouch!".

"Careful!" he grunted at her, helping the young girl stand up "I said it was better for you to hide and I'd go back and get you".

"and be left alone again? No!" she sounded scared "I don't want to be alone again".

"Fine, just be careful okay? I don't want you getting hurt".

"Promise I'm doing my best" he stared at her for a second, serious "so what's the plan".

"I don't know".

"you should have a plan".

"I'm aware of that".

"She was a good aunt you know, the best, I wish I had more memories of her".

"Don't talk in the past, like she's dead, she will be a great aunt again".

"Sorry" her tone was kind "everything is going to be fine, you know, right? Destiny has it's way of bringing people together, again".

"Right" he just wished, wished that was true, for the first moment in his life, Geralt wanted so bad for destiny to intervene, to let them find their way to each other once again.

°°°

" _Autumn's scents have pervaded the air._

_The wind stole the words from our lips,_

_That's the way must be, please don't shed,_

_Those diamonds that run down your cheek."_

_"One day you'll be able to read those sweet words my dear" the redheaded woman said with her tender voice, holding the babies little silky hand with such care and love, watching those silver strands of hair, short, for now, as she was still young and there would be time for her to have such long hair like Rapunzel "what are you going to be like, little Ciri?" she played with the kid, rubbing the point of her index finger on the small tender nose of the baby "I hope someday you'll be a Queen, the most beautiful one, so smart, so kind, everyone in Cintra and in Skellige will love you so dearly, how not to love someone like you?" the kid giggled, making the woman smile._

_"What are you doing Sing?" Pavetta entered the room, laughing just a little bit as she watched her blood get so well with each other "you will spoil her with all that love" she walked closer "shouldn't you be enjoying your party? Another winter, another spring..."._

_"Another fall, another summer, yes I know it's my birthday, but just look at her!" she pointed at the kid "Well, someone has to, I mean, look at those cheeks? I just want to bite it!" she laughed "I was just reading her some ballads from this book, it was a present from Jaskier, when I was younger"._

_"You talk as if you were ooooold!" the young mom gave a kiss on the redhead's cheek and proceeded to carry her baby "you are a great aunt, you know right?"._

_"When I look at her I feel 100 years old I swear to Freya" she laughed "I know, I'm the best aunt, what about godmother ruh?"._

_"Fine, best god mother too!"._

_"that is the best present I could ever get"._

_°°°_

They were finally close to the battlefield, so close what once was just shadows in the shape of humans, were now real people, real blood, real heat and real smoke.

"Cover you mouth and nose" he ripped a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around her face, as a mask "you shouldn't be breathing so much black smoke".

"Oh, thank you" he couldn't see, but she was smiling, very gently, under it.

When they arrived at the construction, the scene of carnage of a massacre was displayed right in front of them. Nilfgaard had breached, the floor was filled with that bodies that soon would become compost, manure to the soil that will now, belong to the madness of the Emperor, without a proper funeral, a goodbye. He was surprised by the amount of mages fighting, some of them he even knew, like Triss and...Yennefer, from the top of a tower, covered in blood, as blood dripped from her nose, her hands reaching for the skies, saying words in Elder that he was barely able to hear.

The white wolf looked all around, trying to spot the redhead, however, it was so much chaos, so many bodies falling, so many others attacking.

"Holy fuck" he hissed, watching as the sky above them got covered in arrows of flames, covering the stars, disguising it's shine, with the flare of death. He held Ciri tighter, hiding behind part of the construction, made of thick walls of rocks. 'Where are you, where are you, where are you' he repeated to himself, almost as a mantra, trying to find her.

When he was about to cave in despair, as his hopes seemed to have burned among them, the burning witch appeared from the flames, her body incandescent, almost impossible to look at, as the brightness hurt their eyes and did the same thing to the enemies. Her eyes were bright red and blood was flowing down the inner corner of her eyes, all the way to her mouth, her nose was wet with blood, melting into one big stain of blood right on her upper lip. It was hard to distinguish her body form, as it was consumed by flames. Her hair seemed to ignore gravity, as it ignited and burned brighter than any bonfire he had ever seen. 

"HESTIA" He screamed, finally standing up, gazing into those eyes that used to emante such love and now, were brimming with anger.

The mage looked at him with a confused look, not understanding what was happening, she did consider for a moment, burning him to the ground, however, she had no strength left in her to destroy the only loved one she had left. And than there was Ciri, standing next to him, gazing at her with a look of compassion, of worry, of love.

The moment she saw that child all the anger that once absorbed her seemed to vanish as quickly as it formed inside of her, being replaced with such joy, to know she was not only alive, but well and with Geralt to protect her. She wanted to cry, but couldn't, as there was no humidity left in her.

So she ran, so fast, it fascinated the young girl how the flame in her seemed to fade into the air as the mage approached them, hugging the girl without thinking twice. Ciri was surprised to notice how warm her aunt's skin was, it didn't feel like hugging a stranger, it felt like hugging her mother, like coming home after the most exhausting quest.

"I can't believe you are alive, I was so sure you were dead" she held the girl's face with both her hands "how did you...".

"We need to go, Hestia" Geralt said, hoping she'd at least get a glimpse of him, however, she maintained her eyes, focused on the child.

"It's too dangerous in here, you need to go, take care of her, okay?" she looked at him, very quickly, walked backwards, gazing at that girl "protect her, at all costs".

An arrow passed right through her left shoulder, making her grunt in utter pain. She could hear them screaming, Geralt and Ciri, however, she was too busy fulfilling what she believed to be her true destiny. _To save Ciri_.

She stretched one arm towards the two people she loved the most, while the other one was towards the battlefield. Hestia howled using her left powers to open a portal on Geralt's side, while, with her other hand, building a wall of flames, that whoever tried to cross it, turned into ashes, like a moth into flames.

" _Ash to ash, dust to dust, fade to black_ " Hestia repeated to herself, looking at what was left of her family, watching her death. Her tears blended with the blood, running faster, stronger, wider "GO, NOW" she screamed the words, before howling in pain.

"NO, AUNTIE, NO" Ciri screamed, trying to reach for her last trace of blood, about to join all of her family in death, as Geralt held her by the waist, preventing her from joining Hestia into suicide. His eyes too were filled with tears, conflicted in trying to help her and being a coward, taking the easy way out. 

°°°

°°°

He knew what he had to do.

He knew what he was letting happen.

He also knew Hestia would never forgive him for allowing Ciri to fade away.

And so he did, without thinking, without any will, he took a couple steps back, carrying Ciri is his arms, in such pain he couldn't believe he was still standing up. But he couldn't, he just couldn't walk anymore.

The shield was down and a spell was casted, words he didn't know were pronounced and a strong pressure hit their bodies, making them fall into the portal, with the last glimpse being Hestia, either collapsed or dead, on the ground.

And so she became her destiny, at least the destiny she believed to be serving.

The Burning Witch. The Goddess of Fire. Or to her loved ones, simply Hestia de Aretuza.

°°°

° **°** °

_"Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling... Makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary. The definition's blurred. If I'm to choose between one evil and another... I'd rather not choose at all."_

° **°** °

**BOOK TWO OF THE BURNING WITCH IS COMING SOON! **

** Can already be found on my profile **

**READ BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION!**

**Author's note** : okay yes I am crying, I had this ending set on my mind since the first chapter and now that it's written, I'm speechless, my heart is just a mess, however I'm so glad it came to an end how I pictured it. What I also pictured was the rest of the story, that you will get to read in book two a story of what really happened to Hestia, Geralt and Ciri.

Is Hestia really dead? Where are Geralt and Ciri? Did Nilfgaard really win it all? Where is Letus? Yennefer, Jaskier and Tissaia? All of this and much more on the **The Goddess of Fire** ! 

I'd like to thank everyone who tagged along with my crazy, long story, thank you for all the comments, all the votes, thank you so much for providing me with the epic experience that was writing this story and i hope you will join me on my next adventures, **The Burning Witch, Book two aka The Goddess of Fire** and **The Lost Princess**!

Much love and be safe!


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